About the Company
Strawberries R Us Pty Ltd is a premier Australian primary producer and fresh fruit supplier dedicated to producing, packing, and distributing high-quality fresh strawberries and primary produce across national retailer and wholesale networks. Committed to innovation, sustainable agricultural practices, and rigorous quality standards, Strawberries R Us works closely with regional farms and national retail partners to deliver fresh, safe produce to consumers year-round.
Position Purpose
The Primary Products Assurance and Inspection Officer is responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring quality control, biosecurity, and food safety standards across primary processing and handling operations. Working at our Wandin East facility, the role ensures that fresh produce and primary goods meet rigorous industry standards (including HACCP and HARPS), regulatory compliance, and customer specifications prior to distribution.
Key Responsibilities include:
- Inspection & Quality Assessment: Inspecting strawberry plants, harvested fruit, and agricultural produce at various operational stages (field, packing shed, and outbound storage) to identify quality issues, physical defects, maturity/Brix levels, and grading standards; providing advice to growers and farm Supervisors.
- Quality System Implementation & Auditing: Developing, implementing, auditing, and monitoring quality procedures across farms, cool-rooms, and food handling/packing facilities to ensure compliance with HARPS, HACCP, SQF, and major retailer specifications.
- Testing & Hygiene Standards: Testing samples of produce for size, quality, purity, and chemical residue compliance; ensuring strict standards of hygiene, sanitation, and environmental management are observed at storage facilities, packing sheds, and in temperature-controlled transport vehicles.
- Disease Eradication & Health Guidance: Advising farm producers and field teams on the economic aspects of plant disease eradication; informing workers, handling staff, and stakeholders of the health implications of crop diseases, chemical residues, and impurities.
- Pest & Disease Advisory: Advising field and packing operations on the identification of horticultural pests and plant diseases (e.g., botrytis, powdery mildew, thrips, spider mites) and enforcing regulatory requirements pertaining to produce grading, punnet packaging, labeling, and loading.
- Biosecurity & Risk Control: Examining incoming horticultural inputs, plant runner stocks, growing media, and agricultural conveyances for biosecurity risks, issuing operational directions to prevent and control biosecurity cross-contamination on site.
- Environmental & Resource Compliance: Monitoring farm site water usage, runoff, and environmental practices associated with primary production to ensure compliance with relevant natural resource and agricultural biosecurity regulations.
- Training & Regulatory Advice: Educating, advising, and providing operational guidance to farm teams and packhouse staff regarding chemical handling, spray safety, harvest hygiene, and product protection standards.
- Regulatory Compliance & Enforcement: Assisting management in documenting non-conformances, investigating biosecurity breaches, and initiating corrective actions to enforce food safety and agricultural regulations where require
What You’ll Bring
- Minimum 1 yearsʼ related experience as a quality assurance officer (in food, agriculture, or primary production).
- At least the Diploma degree of a related field.
- Strong understanding of food safety regulations, HACCP principles, and biosecurity standards
- Experience with implementing and auditing quality assurance programs in processing or farm environments
- Ability to interpret and apply industry regulations related to grading, packaging, transport, and hygiene compliance
- Excellent attention to detail, analytical skills, and a proactive approach to problem-solving
- Effective communication skills to liaise with producers, processors, and internal teams
- Proven ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities in a production-driven environment
- A genuine interest in continuous improvement and commitment to upholding product integrity and food safety.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $79,000.00 – $85,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
