Technical Writer jobs in Ventura, CA

We are a global leader in food & beverage ingredients. Pioneers at heart, we operate at the forefront of consumer trends to provide food & beverage manufacturers with products and ingredients that will delight their consumers. Making a positive impact on people and planet is all part of the delight. With a deep-rooted presence in the countries where our ingredients are grown, we are closer to farmers, enabling better quality, and more reliable, traceable and transparent supply. Supplying products and ingredients at scale is just the start. We add value through our unique, complementary portfolio of natural, delicious and nutritious products. With our fresh thinking, we help our customers unleash the sensory and functional attributes of cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts and spices so they can create naturally good food & beverage products that meet consumer expectations. And whoever we’re with, whatever we’re doing, we always make it real.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Technical Manager, the Technical Writer will assist Quality, Sales, Production and Procurement team members with specifications and appropriate documents to insure consistently safe, quality ingredients and finished goods. They will be responsible for writing raw material specifications, prepare internal finished product specifications, and prepare customer specification documents. The Technical Writer must stay up to date on food safety compliance and regulatory requirements.

The ideal candidate will be detail oriented, familiar with food safety regulations, and be a self-starter who enjoys writing technical documents. They should be technically sound with great project management and excellent communication skills to create meaningful value through Quality and Regulatory requirements.

Position Responsibilities

• Responsible for writing raw material specifications using information provided by suppliers, procurement department, industry standards and company historical data.
• Prepare internal finished product specifications for new products and review existing specifications to ensure information is accurate and consistent. Include processing parameters, label information, pallet configuration, chemical, analytical, and microbiological parameters.
• Work with the technical team, Sales and Quality Control Manager to develop and document internal specifications.
• Prepare customer specification documents as needed for specific products. Communicate customer expectations verbally and in documented formats to the Quality, Production and Warehouse departments.
• Research data online to support criteria, specifications and claims on raw material and finished product specifications.
• Update raw material and process hazard analyses as new materials and processing steps are introduced.
• Support, implement, and make recommendations to improve Company policies and procedures.
• Assist Innovation team members with updates to the Project Tracker.
• Assist with reviewing documentation provided by suppliers in the Trace Gains.
• Network for accuracy and completeness. Review documents and provide an analysis of supplier information against Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) criteria, ofi and Customer requirements.
• Collect signatures from pertinent managers and distribute new documents to appropriate departments as appropriate.
• Interface with the East Coast technical team to update and establish appropriate specifications and documents.
• Receive and review documents in the Trace Gains system. Notify the Technical Manager when suppliers do not provide the required documents or are out of compliance with Foreign Supplier Verification protocol.
• Perform research on labelling regulations and prepare recommendations for the Technical Manager and Director of Commercialization.
• Complete domestic and international regulatory registrations as needed.
• Perform online research of regulatory requirements for international customers.
• Provide supporting customer documents to team members with responsibility for managing customer portals.
• Assist the Quality and Technical teams in managing customer complaint data. Provide monthly Key performance indicators (KPI) data for management review.
• Collaborate with the food safety team and prepare updates to document within the food safety system as needed.
• Participate on the Internal Audit team performing monthly self-inspections.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science or related field is required.
• Five (5) years of technical writing/documentation experience is required.
• Preventative Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification is preferred.
• Familiarity and experience with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), Food Safety Modernization Act and Foreign Supplier Verification systems is required.
• Previous experience using Trace Gains Software is preferred.
• Experience with Safe Quality Food (SQF) system documentation requirements is required.
• Ability to prepare technical documents in English and Spanish preferred but not required.
• Knowledgeable regarding the use of the Company’s computer system, and MS suite and other office computer software programs is required.
• Excellent investigation/research skills are required.
• Good communication skills and ability to work well with other departments and with vendors and customers is required.
• Ability to handle several tasks and assignments simultaneously is required.
• Ability to work independently and within a group environment is required.
• Must be organized and able to manage time efficiently.
• Must be detail oriented.
• Ability to work at a computer workstation for extended periods of time is required.

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

ofi provides equality of opportunity for all persons with respect to hiring without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation. All employment will be decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us for support at: US-Talent.Acquisition@ofi.com

At ofi, we celebrate our diversity. Olam Americas Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.