| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Agriculture and Food Processing |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | Food Safety Officer |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | Fresher or up to 3 years in a food or quality lab |
Food Quality Analyst job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Food Quality Analyst
Department: Agriculture and Food Processing
Reports to: Food Safety Officer
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Food Quality Analyst tests raw materials and food products in the lab, checking physical, chemical and microbiological quality against the standard. The role reports to the Food Safety Officer or a quality manager. A good food quality analyst runs accurate tests to method, turns samples around fast so production is not held up, catches non conforming material before it moves on, records results correctly, keeps the lab and instruments reliable, follows food safety in the lab, and gives production and quality teams the honest test data they need to release only good product.
Key responsibilities
- Test raw materials, in process and finished products against the quality standard.
- Run physical, chemical and microbiological tests to the set methods.
- Turn samples around fast so production and dispatch are not held up.
- Catch non conforming material and flag it before it moves on.
- Record test results accurately and maintain the quality records.
- Calibrate and maintain lab instruments so results stay reliable.
- Follow food safety and hygiene practices in the lab.
- Support root cause analysis with test data when quality problems arise.
- Prepare and manage samples, reagents and media in the lab.
- Escalate out of specification results to the food safety officer.
Requirements
- Degree in food technology, chemistry or microbiology
- Knowledge of food testing methods
- Lab experience is an advantage
- Fresher or up to 3 years in a food or quality lab
KRAs and KPIs for a Food Quality Analyst
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Tests completed | Tests completed against the daily sample plan above target |
| Accuracy | Test accuracy on check samples above the agreed level |
| Turnaround | Sample turnaround within the agreed time above the level set |
| Non conformance detection | Out of specification material caught before release above target |
| Record accuracy | Quality records kept accurate and complete above target |
| Instrument reliability | Instruments calibrated on schedule with no lapses |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Lab instruments and glassware, Microbiology equipment, Reagents and media, MS Excel, Quality record tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Food Safety Officer, Quality Executive, Food Technologist
Interview questions for a Food Quality Analyst
- How do you run a food test accurately to method?
- How do you turn samples around fast without cutting accuracy?
- How do you handle an out of specification result?
- How do you keep lab instruments calibrated and reliable?
- How do you follow food safety and hygiene in the lab?
- How do you keep quality records accurate and complete?
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What does a Food Quality Analyst do?
A Food Quality Analyst tests raw materials and food products in the lab, checking physical, chemical and microbiological quality against the standard. They run accurate tests, turn samples around fast, catch non conforming material and record results, giving production and quality teams the data to release only good product.
What is the difference between a Food Quality Analyst and a Food Safety Officer?
A Food Quality Analyst tests samples in the lab and reports results. A Food Safety Officer owns the food safety system across the plant: hygiene, audits, compliance and corrective action. The analyst provides the test data; the food safety officer uses it and runs the wider safety program.
What qualifications does a Food Quality Analyst need?
Most roles ask for a degree in food technology, chemistry or microbiology with knowledge of food testing methods, and lab experience helps. Employers value accurate testing, calibration and record keeping, plus the discipline to catch out of specification material before it is released, since consumers depend on it.