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Atomic · 1 month ago

Director of Food Safety & Quality Assurance

United States

Full-time

Remote

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$150K/yr - $225K/yr

10+ years exp

Atomic is a venture studio that builds companies from scratch, and they are seeking a Director of Food Safety & Quality Assurance to lead quality and food safety efforts for a fast-growing pet-food brand. The role involves managing third-party manufacturers, ensuring compliance with food safety standards, and developing internal safety programs to maintain high product quality at scale.

ConsultingFinancial ServicesVenture Capital

Responsibilities

Design and document policies and SOPs that ensure compliance across external manufacturing and supply partners

Develop and implement HACCP, GMP, Allergen Control, Sanitation, and Recall programs tailored for co-manufacturing and multi-site operations, developing a standard for our brand while leveraging programs in place at third parties where applicable

Align programs with FDA, USDA, and FSMA requirements for our product portfolio (frozen foods, sauces, and ready-to-eat items)

Partner closely with external QA and Operations teams at third party partners to validate processes and maintain food safety controls

Lead third-party and supplier audits to assess GFSI, food safety, and quality compliance

Build and manage a risk-based supplier approval program, including onboarding, monitoring, and corrective action follow-up

Coordinate with co-manufacturers during audit preparation, responses, and closure of findings

Maintain detailed supplier records and ensure continuous compliance improvement

Establish and maintain product specifications, finished product testing, and shelf-life standards

Collaborate with R&D and Operations on scale-up and commercialization, ensuring product quality through every stage

Investigate non-conformances, manage CAPAs, and track trends across all partner sites

Own quality complaints from customers, partnering closely with internal Customer Experience groups

Develop KPIs and reporting dashboards to monitor quality performance across the external network

Work across departments (R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Customer Experience) to embed food safety and quality principles into product development and production

Provide training and support to both internal teams and manufacturing partners on quality expectations

Represent the company during third-party audits, customer inquiries, and regulatory interactions

Qualification

HACCPGFSI systemsFDA regulationsSupplier auditsPet food knowledgeQuality managementProject managementEntrepreneurial mindsetCommunication skills

Required

10+ years of experience, with at least 4+ years in pet-specific food manufacturing with direct oversight of co-manufacturers, contract packers, or ingredient suppliers

Proven ability to manage quality and food safety programs across multiple facilities and partners — not limited to a single production site

Expertise in building and managing HACCP and GFSI-aligned systems (SQF, BRC, etc.)

Strong working knowledge of FDA, USDA, AAFCO, NASC, and FSMA regulations

Experience conducting supplier audits and managing corrective actions

HACCP certification required

Entrepreneurial and resourceful mindset — comfortable working in a high-growth, fast-moving environment

Comfortable taking ownership of this focus area and running with it with limited oversight

Excellent communication and project management skills