Associate Team Leader, Food Safety & Quality Assurance, Micro Kitchen

The Micro Kitchen Food Safety & Quality Assurance Associate Team Leader (FSQA ATL) will report to the Associate Facility Team Leader (AFTL) and assist facility leadership in overall management and supervision of the FSQA Supervisors and Team Members in the Micro Kitchen facility. This role is responsible for upholding all Whole Foods Market and USDA standards, including the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) program and for ensuring overall quality controls at the facility including sanitation and safety standards. The role prioritizes supporting WFM core values, promoting facility initiatives, and maintaining health and safety standards

Responsibilities:

• Lead and supervise the daily operations of the FSQA team, including assigning tasks, providing guidance, and ensuring all FSQA standards are met and safety protocols are followed.
• Review and coordinate activities for Team Members engaged in all aspects of sanitation.
• Monitor and oversee environmental monitoring program and other swabbing programs as required conform to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) guidelines.
• Monitor all Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP’s) and update frequently as business or the USDA dictate, including cross training Team Members on SSOPs.
• Produce accurate and detailed records and documentation, diplomatic resolutions, and clear communication.
• Audit and verify daily control logs, ensuring that records show compliance.
• Act as the primary liaison for all internal and external quality issues (customer complaints, USDA, FDA).
• Uphold all Whole Foods Market, USDA, and HACCP program standards and work closely with USDA inspector.
• Communicate department concerns to facility leadership and cultivate inter-department relationships.
• Manage Pest Control Program.
• Follow, comply with, and enforce established procedures, including health and sanitation and adherence to safe work practices.
• Assist facility leadership with interviewing, selecting, training, developing, and counseling Team Members in a way that builds and sustains a high-performing team and minimizes turnover.
• Work collaboratively with facility leadership and Team Member Services on Team Member relations including proper documentation, investigations, and corrective actions
• Communicate and maintain Team Member safety and security standards.
• Achieve all required productivity, safety, and labor targets in partnership with facility leadership.
• Provide accurate, complete information in daily, weekly, monthly, annual, and “ad hoc” management reports.
• Establish and maintain collaborative and productive working relationships with Store Support and Operating Area teams supported by facility leadership.
• Build a positive work environment of outstanding teamwork, mutual respect, and exceptional morale.
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of, and ensure compliance with relevant regularity rules and standards, including OSHA, FMLA, HACCP, FSMA, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Department of Labor, Health and Sanitation, FDA, Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures.
• Support and provide input for learning and development needs of manufacturing employees to establish robust food safety culture at the manufacturing site(s).

Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree in food science, microbiology, food technology, or a related field OR equivalent combination of education and FSQA experience within a food manufacturing facility.
• Prior management experience not required but may have informally led teams or performed in a team lead type of role.
• Thorough knowledge of local, state, and federal food safety requirements.
• Strong understanding of food manufacturing operations and food safety prerequisite program requirements.
• PCQI and HACCP certified preferred.
• Basic computer skills; proficiency in select Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); and ability to learn custom applications.
• Basic understanding of ERP processes within a food manufacturing environment.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule based on the needs of the facility, including nights, weekends and holidays as required.
• Ability to work well with others, self-motivated, and capable of working independently with little supervision.
• Ability to build strong partnerships with key stakeholders including Team Members, customers suppliers, and regulators.
• A genuine passion for food and a deep commitment to our mission of nurturing both people and the planet.

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions:

• Must be able to lift 50 pounds.
• Must adhere to company dress code and standards of production kitchen dress and PPE (personal protective equipment).
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the job, with reasonable accommodation.
• Hand use: single grasping, fine manipulation, pushing and pulling.
• Work requires the following motions: bending, twisting, squatting, and reaching.
• Exposure to FDA approved cleaning chemicals.
• Exposure to temperatures: <32 degrees Fahrenheit (freezing), 32-40 degrees Fahrenheit (refrigerators), >90 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Ability to work in wet and dry conditions.
• Ability to use tools and equipment, including knives, box cutters, electric pallet jacks, and other heavy machinery.
• May require use of ladders.

The wage range for this position is $25.00-$44.00 Hourly, commensurate with experience. Whole Foods Market offers "Whole Benefits". Whole Benefits may include health insurance, retirement plan benefits, eligibility for a store discount, paid time off and access to other benefit programs. Eligibility for Whole Benefits is determined under the terms of the applicable Whole Benefits plan at a person’s date of hire. For additional information, visit our Whole Foods Market Careers site:

At Whole Foods Market, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Whole Foods Market hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.

Whole Foods Market works with job sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter to promote opportunities at our company. Please be aware that other career sites may not be accurate or up to date and may even be fraudulent. We encourage and recommend all candidates to apply via our site. The Micro Kitchen Food Safety & Quality Assurance Associate Team Leader (FSQA ATL) will report to the Associate Facility Team Leader (AFTL) and assist facility leadership in overall management and supervision of the FSQA Supervisors and Team Members in the Micro Kitchen facility. This role is responsible for upholding all Whole Foods Market and USDA standards, including the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) program and for ensuring overall quality controls at the facility including sanitation and safety standards. The role prioritizes supporting WFM core values, promoting facility initiatives, and maintaining health and safety standards

Responsibilities:

• Lead and supervise the daily operations of the FSQA team, including assigning tasks, providing guidance, and ensuring all FSQA standards are met and safety protocols are followed.
• Review and coordinate activities for Team Members engaged in all aspects of sanitation.
• Monitor and oversee environmental monitoring program and other swabbing programs as required conform to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) guidelines.
• Monitor all Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP’s) and update frequently as business or the USDA dictate, including cross training Team Members on SSOPs.
• Produce accurate and detailed records and documentation, diplomatic resolutions, and clear communication.
• Audit and verify daily control logs, ensuring that records show compliance.
• Act as the primary liaison for all internal and external quality issues (customer complaints, USDA, FDA).
• Uphold all Whole Foods Market, USDA, and HACCP program standards and work closely with USDA inspector.
• Communicate department concerns to facility leadership and cultivate inter-department relationships.
• Manage Pest Control Program.
• Follow, comply with, and enforce established procedures, including health and sanitation and adherence to safe work practices.
• Assist facility leadership with interviewing, selecting, training, developing, and counseling Team Members in a way that builds and sustains a high-performing team and minimizes turnover.
• Work collaboratively with facility leadership and Team Member Services on Team Member relations including proper documentation, investigations, and corrective actions
• Communicate and maintain Team Member safety and security standards.
• Achieve all required productivity, safety, and labor targets in partnership with facility leadership.
• Provide accurate, complete information in daily, weekly, monthly, annual, and “ad hoc” management reports.
• Establish and maintain collaborative and productive working relationships with Store Support and Operating Area teams supported by facility leadership.
• Build a positive work environment of outstanding teamwork, mutual respect, and exceptional morale.
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of, and ensure compliance with relevant regularity rules and standards, including OSHA, FMLA, HACCP, FSMA, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Department of Labor, Health and Sanitation, FDA, Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures.
• Support and provide input for learning and development needs of manufacturing employees to establish robust food safety culture at the manufacturing site(s).

Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree in food science, microbiology, food technology, or a related field OR equivalent combination of education and FSQA experience within a food manufacturing facility.
• Prior management experience not required but may have informally led teams or performed in a team lead type of role.
• Thorough knowledge of local, state, and federal food safety requirements.
• Strong understanding of food manufacturing operations and food safety prerequisite program requirements.
• PCQI and HACCP certified preferred.
• Basic computer skills; proficiency in select Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); and ability to learn custom applications.
• Basic understanding of ERP processes within a food manufacturing environment.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule based on the needs of the facility, including nights, weekends and holidays as required.
• Ability to work well with others, self-motivated, and capable of working independently with little supervision.
• Ability to build strong partnerships with key stakeholders including Team Members, customers suppliers, and regulators.
• A genuine passion for food and a deep commitment to our mission of nurturing both people and the planet.

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions:

• Must be able to lift 50 pounds.
• Must adhere to company dress code and standards of production kitchen dress and PPE (personal protective equipment).
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the job, with reasonable accommodation.
• Hand use: single grasping, fine manipulation, pushing and pulling.
• Work requires the following motions: bending, twisting, squatting, and reaching.
• Exposure to FDA approved cleaning chemicals.
• Exposure to temperatures: <32 degrees Fahrenheit (freezing), 32-40 degrees Fahrenheit (refrigerators), >90 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Ability to work in wet and dry conditions.
• Ability to use tools and equipment, including knives, box cutters, electric pallet jacks, and other heavy machinery.
• May require use of ladders.

The wage range for this position is $25.00-$44.00 Hourly, commensurate with experience. Whole Foods Market offers "Whole Benefits". Whole Benefits may include health insurance, retirement plan benefits, eligibility for a store discount, paid time off and access to other benefit programs. Eligibility for Whole Benefits is determined under the terms of the applicable Whole Benefits plan at a person’s date of hire. For additional information, visit our Whole Foods Market Careers site:

At Whole Foods Market, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Whole Foods Market hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.

Whole Foods Market works with job sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter to promote opportunities at our company. Please be aware that other career sites may not be accurate or up to date and may even be fraudulent. We encourage and recommend all candidates to apply via our site.