Food Technologist / Laboratory & Quality Control Manager

Job Summary

The Food Technologist / Laboratory & Quality Control Manager will be responsible for managing and maintaining food quality, safety, and laboratory control systems throughout the production and packaging of tomato ketchup and other food products. The position will oversee raw material inspection, laboratory testing, production-process monitoring, finished-product quality, hygiene and sanitation standards, and compliance with applicable food safety and quality requirements.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Production, Procurement, and Management teams to ensure that all products consistently meet established quality, safety, taste, texture, packaging, and shelf-life standards. The position will also develop and maintain quality control procedures, laboratory records, product specifications, and quality documentation, while identifying and addressing quality issues and implementing corrective and preventive actions.

Job Requirements

·       Bachelor’s degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemistry, Microbiology, or a closely related field.

·       Minimum 2–3 years of relevant experience in food processing, food manufacturing, laboratory testing, quality control, or quality assurance; experience in tomato products, sauces, ketchup, or similar products is highly preferred.

·       Strong knowledge of food safety, hygiene, sanitation, quality control, and laboratory procedures.

·       Practical knowledge of HACCP, GMP, and food safety management principles.

·       Ability to develop and implement quality control procedures, SOPs, checklists, and product specifications.

·       Experience in testing and evaluating raw materials, in-process products, packaging materials, and finished products.

·       Knowledge of physical, chemical, and microbiological testing relevant to food products.

·       Ability to monitor key product parameters such as pH, acidity, Brix, viscosity, color, consistency, taste, and shelf-life requirements.

·       Ability to identify quality problems, conduct root-cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

·       Strong understanding of personal hygiene, production hygiene, sanitation, and contamination-control practices.

·       Ability to maintain accurate laboratory, quality-control, inspection, and production records.

·       Good knowledge of food labeling, packaging, storage, and product traceability requirements.

·       Ability to establish and monitor quality standards for incoming raw materials and finished products.

·       Strong attention to detail, analytical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

·       Ability to train and supervise laboratory and quality-control staff.

·       Good communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively with production and management teams.

·       Good computer skills, particularly Microsoft Word and Excel.

·       Ability to work in a factory/production environment and conduct regular inspections and quality checks.

·       Fluency in Dari and Pashto; good English communication skills will be an advantage.

·       Commitment to maintaining high standards of food safety, product quality, hygiene, and consumer protection.