Overview
Quality Assurance Specialist Jobs in Macon, GA at SJ Labs and Analytics, LLC
SJ Labs & Analytics, LLC
Macon, Georgia
Job Type: Full-Time
Position Summary
SJ Labs & Analytics, LLC is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Quality Assurance Specialist to lead and maintain the laboratory’s quality control and quality assurance activities. This position will play a key role in ensuring the accuracy, reliability, traceability, and regulatory compliance of all laboratory operations.
The Quality Assurance Specialist will take an active role in implementing, monitoring, and improving the laboratory’s Quality Management System (QMS) in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017, applicable cannabis testing regulations, and company requirements.
This position requires an individual who can independently identify quality risks, initiate investigations, implement corrective actions, monitor laboratory performance, and drive continuous improvement. The successful candidate will work directly with laboratory management, analysts, microbiology personnel, and other staff to establish and maintain a culture of quality and scientific integrity.
Key Responsibilities Quality Management & Compliance
- Develop, implement, and maintain quality policies, procedures, processes, and controls.
- Ensure laboratory operations remain compliant with ISO/IEC 17025:2017, applicable Georgia cannabis testing requirements, and internal quality standards.
- Establish and monitor quality objectives, performance indicators, and quality metrics.
- Conduct and document internal audits and ensure identified findings are appropriately addressed.
- Prepare the laboratory for external assessments, regulatory inspections, and accreditation audits.
- Identify compliance risks and proactively implement measures to prevent quality issues.
- Maintain oversight of document control, quality records, controlled forms, and laboratory procedures.
- Monitor regulatory and accreditation requirements and communicate changes that affect laboratory operations.
Nonconforming Work, Investigations & CAPA
- Initiate and lead investigations involving nonconforming work, deviations, QC failures, client complaints, data discrepancies, and other quality events.
- Perform and document root-cause analyses.
- Develop, implement, and monitor Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA).
- Determine appropriate containment and corrective measures when quality issues are identified.
- Track corrective actions through completion and verify their effectiveness.
- Identify recurring issues and implement systemic improvements to prevent recurrence.
- Communicate significant quality concerns and trends to laboratory management.
Analytical & Microbiology Quality Control
- Establish, implement, and monitor QC requirements for analytical and microbiological testing.
- Review QC data and laboratory results for accuracy, consistency, and compliance with established acceptance criteria.
- Monitor trends in analytical QC data and identify potential problems before they affect reported results.
- Evaluate laboratory control samples, blanks, standards, spikes, duplicates, and other QC measures as applicable.
- Review analytical instrument performance, calibration, maintenance, and qualification records.
- Identify instrument or method performance issues and initiate appropriate corrective actions.
- Maintain quality oversight of microbiological testing processes, controls, and environmental monitoring.
- Participate in method verification, validation, and ongoing method performance monitoring.
- Evaluate proficiency testing and interlaboratory comparison results and initiate corrective actions when necessary.
Data Integrity & Technical Review
- Perform thorough reviews of laboratory records and analytical data for completeness, accuracy, traceability, and compliance.
- Identify data anomalies, discrepancies, transcription errors, QC failures, and potential data integrity concerns.
- Ensure laboratory records support complete traceability from sample receipt through final reporting.
- Monitor adherence to approved methods, SOPs, and quality control requirements.
- Ensure quality-related records are complete, accurate, contemporaneous, and properly maintained.
- Promote and enforce a culture of scientific integrity and defensible laboratory data.
Continuous Improvement
- Proactively identify opportunities to improve laboratory quality, efficiency, consistency, and compliance.
- Develop and implement quality improvement initiatives.
- Analyze quality trends and laboratory performance data to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Work with laboratory personnel to resolve recurring technical or procedural issues.
- Recommend changes to SOPs, processes, equipment, training, and QC requirements when warranted.
- Establish measurable goals for quality improvement and monitor outcomes.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or a closely related scientific field.
- Minimum 3 years of laboratory experience in a regulated environment.
- Demonstrated working knowledge of ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
- Experience working with analytical laboratory equipment and instrumentation.
- Experience with microbiology laboratory practices and testing.
- Demonstrated understanding of laboratory quality control, quality assurance, and data integrity.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to independently identify issues, determine appropriate actions, and follow those actions through resolution.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous laboratory Quality Assurance or Quality Control experience.
- Experience serving as a quality lead, quality specialist, QA/QC coordinator, or similar role.
- Experience working in an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory.
- Experience with cannabis testing laboratories or other highly regulated testing environments.
- Experience conducting internal audits and preparing for accreditation or regulatory assessments.
- Experience leading investigations, root-cause analyses, and CAPA programs.
- Experience with analytical instrumentation including HPLC, GC, ICP-MS, ICP-OES, or similar equipment.
- Experience with microbiological testing and environmental monitoring.
- Experience with method validation and verification.
- Familiarity with measurement uncertainty, proficiency testing, QC trending, and statistical evaluation of laboratory data.
- Experience with LIMS and electronic quality management systems.
Key Performance Expectations
The Quality Assurance Specialist is expected to:
- Initiate investigations and corrective actions when issues are identified.
- Maintain the laboratory’s readiness for audits, assessments, and inspections.
- Identify potential compliance risks before they become significant findings.
- Ensure quality issues are thoroughly investigated, documented, corrected, and prevented from recurring.
- Maintain accurate and defensible quality records.
- Provide laboratory management with clear, timely information regarding quality trends, risks, and performance.
- Continuously evaluate and improve the effectiveness of the laboratory’s quality system.
Pay: From $43,000.00 per year
Application Question(s):
- Are you comfortable with the smell of cannabis?
Work Location: In person
Title: Quality Assurance Specialist
Company: SJ Labs and Analytics, LLC
Location: Macon, GA
Category:
