Quality Assurance Lead

Salary Range: $26.00 to $28.00 per hour + $250 signing bonus after 90 days

Benefit Eligible: Yes

Location: Onsite in Mesa, AZ

Classification: Non-exempt

Reports to: Quality Assurance Supervisor

About the Company

Paleovalley and Wild Pastures were born from a simple but radical idea: real food can heal — people, animals, and the planet. When Paleovalley co-founders Autumn and Chas Smith saw how industrialized food was affecting human health and the health of the land, they refused to play along. Autumn’s own journey of healing through nutrient-dense foods lit a fire that became Paleovalley. From there, the mission grew roots, sprouted wings, and eventually expanded into Wild Pastures to bring regeneratively raised meats directly to families nationwide.

Today, Paleovalley crafts deeply nourishing snacks and supplements made with organic ingredients and honorable sourcing. Wild Pastures connects small American farmers practicing regenerative agriculture with customers who believe better food is worth fighting for. Every product, every partnership, and every decision is guided by a commitment to real ingredients, regenerative practices, and the belief that health is built from the soil up.

We’re a team of grounded doers, curious thinkers, bold builders, and warm humans who like to laugh while doing meaningful work. We're growing quickly, fueled by purpose and a shared desire to repair the food system one thoughtful choice at a time.

If you feel energized by impact, drawn to mission, and ready to join a company rewriting the future of food, we’d love to meet you!

About the Opportunity
The Quality Assurance Lead supports the successful execution of Paleovalley’s food safety and quality programs by combining hands-on operational oversight with audit and compliance support. This role helps ensure regulatory readiness, strengthens internal quality systems, and safeguards the consistency and safety of the products our customers rely on.

What You’ll Do

• Execute and verify critical food safety and quality controls on the production floor, including pre-operational inspections, CCP/CP monitoring, and hourly quality checks to ensure compliance with HACCP requirements.
• Own and maintain the internal audit program , including managing the audit schedule, conducting internal audits, documenting findings, and tracking corrective actions to completion.
• Support SQF certification readiness and regulatory compliance by assisting with preparation for internal, third-party, and regulatory audits (FDA, USDA).
• Monitor and verify prerequisite programs such as GMP compliance, sanitation verification, allergen controls, environmental monitoring, and glass and brittle plastic programs.
• Identify quality or food safety deviations and support root cause investigations and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to prevent recurrence.
• Review and verify production and quality documentation to ensure records are accurate, complete, and compliant with internal procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with production, sanitation, and operations teams to ensure food safety standards and quality procedures are consistently followed across shifts.
• Support production start-ups and validation activities , including ATP and allergen verification, to ensure equipment and processes meet food safety requirements.
• Serve as a first-shift quality escalation point , providing real-time support and guidance to operations on food safety and quality decisions.
• Track audit findings and quality trends and communicate insights to quality leadership to strengthen systems and reduce operational risk.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• HACCP certification (required at time of hire).
• 3+ years of quality assurance or food safety experience in a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Experience executing or verifying food safety and quality programs , including CCP/CP monitoring, GMP compliance, and documentation verification.
• Familiarity with regulatory and food safety standards applicable to food manufacturing environments.
• Strong attention to detail and documentation accuracy in support of food safety and quality systems.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced production environment and collaborate cross-functionally with operations, sanitation, and quality teams.
• Ability to perform floor-based quality work , including extended periods of standing, walking production areas, and conducting inspections.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States.

Bonus Points

• PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification or similar food safety credentials.
• Experience working in facilities regulated by the FDA and/or USDA.
• Experience supporting third-party food safety audits such as SQF, BRC, or FSSC 22000.
• Familiarity with prerequisite programs , including environmental monitoring, allergen control, sanitation verification, or glass and brittle plastic programs.
• A passion for real food, wellness, and supporting products that prioritize ingredient integrity and transparency.

Our Commitment to You

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage with 100% employer-paid dental/vision and a small monthly medical premium for employees; dependents may be added at employee cost
• Generous Paid time off to support balance and rest
• Paid sick time for when you need it
• Six (6) paid holidays each year
• Paid parental leave for growing families
• 100% company-paid Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Life Insurance
• 401(k) with up to a 4% company match after one year of service
• Monthly product stipend or access to perfectly imperfect damaged product so you can enjoy the nutrient-dense foods you help bring to others
  
  

Work Environment & Physical Demands

This role takes place in a manufacturing/warehouse environment and may involve exposure to varying temperatures, noise, and airborne particles. Employees must follow all safety guidelines and use required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The position requires regular standing, walking, bending, reaching, and the ability to lift and move items up to 50 pounds. Work may involve operating or working near machinery and other equipment. These physical demands are representative of those necessary to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Compliance & Employment Practices

Paleovalley and Wild Pastures are proud to be equal opportunity employers. We make employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, and we do not discriminate based on any status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We’re also committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the hiring process. If you need assistance or an accommodation at any point, please reach out to [email protected] .

All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. At this time, Paleovalley and Wild Pastures are unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas, including but not limited to H-1B, TN, or OPT. Any offer of employment is contingent upon completion of Form I-9 and verification of work authorization. We participate in E-Verify to confirm eligibility to work in the U.S.

To support an efficient and consistent application review process, we may use technology-assisted tools to help organize and review applications; however, these tools do not make hiring decisions. All final hiring decisions are made by our team.

This role is open until filled.

EEO Statement:

Paleovalley and Wild Pastures are equal opportunity employers. Employment and processes, including decisions to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, are based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

E-Verify:

Paleovalley and Wild Pastures participate in E-Verify, the federal program for electronic verification of employment eligibility.