Grade A Water Systems Specialist

JOB DESCRIPTIONPosition Summary The Water Specialist ensures all productcontact water (city water and plant generated potable water) usedin the facility meets regulatory FDA Grade 'A' Pasteurized MilkOrdinance (PMO) requirements and internal food safety and qualitystandards. This role oversees water treatment systems, monitorswater quality, supports compliance with FDA/FSMA, and ensure allwater used in manufacturing, sanitation, ingredient preparation andCIP systems is compliant with internal, customer, and regulatoryexpectations.EssentialFunctionsWater QualityMonitoring & ControlConductroutine sampling/testing following PMO Chapter 7 and companyrequirements.Maintain and calibrate wateranalysis equipment (e.g. chlorine meters, turbiditymeters...).Maintain accurate logs for raw,treated, and post-treatment water.Conducttrend analysis to identify areas with continuous improvementopportunity.WaterSystem ManagementMonitor andmaintain water treatment, filtration, RO, UV and/or chemical dosingsystems.Manage water inventory throughplanning and predicting production of potable water and purchase ofcity water.Ensure proper functioning ofbackflow preventers, piping, storage tanks and distributionsystems.Participate in maintenance planningand troubleshooting of water system components.Maintain sanitary design and hygienicstandards for all water contact infrastructure, including:CIP rinse and final rinsewater.Direct-contact water used in equipment,valves, and product pathways.Auxiliary systems(condensate of whey/evaporator water reuse, RO water, softenedwater).Ensure proper function and sanitationof water filtration, reverse osmosis/polishers, chemical treatment(chlorination, chlorine dioxide generation...), UV systems, and CIPintegrated water routes.Partner withMaintenance to troubleshoot water heaters, boilers, supply lines,and backflow preventers.ComplianceEnsure water qualitymeets PMO Chapter 7 requirements, FDA/FSMA Preventive Controls, andstate dairy regulations.Maintain completewater system records for FDA/state inspections, IMS audits, andthird-party audits.Support hazard analyses(HACCP/PC) with specific focus on water as an ingredient andindirect-contact risk factor.Leadwater-related corrective action investigations and preventiveaction documentation.Documentation, Reporting & Continuous Improvement Maintain water sampling schedules, testresults, calibration records, and system maintenancedocumentation.Update and manage SOPs and SSOPsfor dairy water systems, CIP water use, and water testingprotocols.Provide monthly reports toQuality/Food Safety leadership summarizing trends, deviations, andsystem performance.Identify opportunities tooptimize water usage, reduce chemical consumption, and improvemicrobial control.Training & Cross-Functional Support Train CIP operators, production, andsanitation teams on proper water quality expectations and testingprocedures.Support Engineering during newequipment installations or modifications to ensure water contactareas meet sanitary design.Serve as the dairyplant's subject matter expert during customer visits, SQF/BRCaudits, and regulatory inspections.CompetenciesPage BreakProblemSolving/AnalysisIntegrityDependableStrong CommunicationSkillsTeamworkInnovativeComputerSkillsTimeManagement/InitiativeAttentive todetailContinuous LearningPage BreakSupervisory Responsibility This position has no supervisoryresponsibilities but will provide guidance and direction to plantstaff.Work Environment This job operates in an office, lab and plantenvironment. While performing the duties of this job, the employeeis occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles, movingmechanical parts and vibration. Exposed to extreme temperaturevariations. The noise level in the work environment and job sitescan be loud.PositionType/Expected Hours of WorkThis is afull-time position, typically working Monday through Friday. Thisposition may require some work on weekends and holidays.Travel Less than five percent travel expected for thisposition.Required Education,Experience & Certifications Associate's or Bachelor's degree in FoodScience, Dairy Science, Microbiology, Environmental Science, orrelated field—or equivalent experience.2+years in dairy manufacturing, water treatment, or environmentalmonitoring.Understanding of CIP systems, dairysanitation, and hygienic designprinciples.Familiarity with PMO Chapter 7,FSMA, and state dairy regulatoryrequirements.Experience with microbialtesting, water analysis equipment, and trendevaluation.PreferredEducation , Experience &Certifications Bilingual in English/Spanish.HACCP and/or Preventive Controls QualifiedIndividual certification.Experience with ROsystems, evaporator condensate reuse (COW), and dairy utilitysystems.Knowledge of SSOP development, CIPtroubleshooting, and environmental microbiology.AdditionalEligibility QualificationsMinimum agerequirement is 18.OtherDutiesPlease note this job descriptionis not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing ofresponsibilities, duties or tasks that are required of the employeefor this job. Responsibilities, duties and tasks may change at anytime with or without notice.