Raw Materials Technical Assistant

The Oval Partnership is working with a branded B-Corp accredited food manufacturer to recruit a Raw Materials Technical Assistant at their factory site in the North West London area.

Reporting to the QA Manager, the successful Raw Materials Technical Assistant will support the QA team in maintaining, auditing, and enhancing rigorous Quality Management Systems (QMS) on a daily basis.

This is a full-time site-based role, 45 hour a week contract working 5 days from 7 including rotated weekend work

Key Responsibilities

• Audit & Compliance: Conduct internal audits (including GMP and fabrication), audit production paperwork, perform traceability audits, and verify/validate Critical Control Points (CCPs).

• Microbiology & Sampling: Collect and prepare microbiological, swab, and water samples according to schedules; cook samples as needed and manage re-testing processes.

• Raw Materials & Supplier Quality: Monitor ingredient quality, audit stock rotation, make routine accept/reject decisions for incoming raw materials and packaging, and manage non-conformance logs for suppliers.

• Production & Daily Operations: Support daily temperature checks, conduct equipment/calibration checks, assist with customer complaint investigations, and report out-of-spec issues immediately to prevent non-conforming products from moving forward.

• Coaching & Support: Assist in coaching factory floor teams on QA procedures, support technical documentation/key card updates, and contribute to site-wide quality improvement projects.

Key Requirements & Qualifications:

• Education: Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a related discipline.

• Certifications: Formal qualifications in Food Safety and HACCP.

• Experience: Prior experience in a QA or QC role within food manufacturing; proven experience working with, updating, and embedding Quality Management Systems.

• Technical Skills: Good understanding of basic food hygiene, strong IT literacy (Microsoft Office suite), and experience in conducting risk assessments.

• Eligible to live & work in the UK: Visa sponsorship is not applicable to this role

Personal Attributes & Soft Skills:

• Communication: Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence, train, and build strong working relationships with factory floor personnel and cross-functional teams.

• Analytical & Detail-Oriented: Exceptional attention to detail, problem-solving ability, and analytical thinking to interpret technical data.

• Mindset: Composed under pressure, driven, confident, pragmatic, and adaptable to a fast-moving environment.

• Flexibility: Willingness to work outside standard hours or on bank holidays when operational needs arise.

• Passion: A genuine passion for food quality and excellence