Quality Engineer

Hello potential future Oatly employee. It’s us, the original oatmilk company that started in Sweden back 25 or so years ago and has since expanded to the U.S. where we’ve continued growing at a rate such that we need more brilliant minds to come work with us to keep the momentum going and the oatmilk flowing.

Sustainability, health, and transparency are the core values that guide everything we do. Basically, we exist to make it easy for people to eat better and live healthier lives without recklessly taxing the planet’s resources in the process. If any of this resonates with you, then maybe you’d like work for Oatly, too. Now onto the formal stuff.

Here are the things we want to hire you to do:

Documentation Management:

• Review, validate, and maintain compliance of all quality and manufacturing documents, ensuring timely approvals and updates.
• Oversee and manage change control forms, ensuring proper review, documentation, and implementation of changes.
• Maintain the document database(s) for creation, revision, and archiving of SOPs, work instructions, and other quality documents.
• Organize, file, and retrieve GMP, Production, and Quality documentation in compliance with operational and regulatory standards.
• Act as the site subject matter expert for documentation storage, retrieval, and retention practices.
• Provide daily documentation distribution to manufacturing and quality teams, ensuring up-to-date information is accessible

Internal and Co-Manufacturer Auditing:

• Develop and execute a robust internal audit program covering GMPs, HACCP, Food Defense, and other quality systems.
• Conduct scheduled internal audits to ensure compliance with Oatly policies, procedures, and regulatory standards.
• Lead co-manufacturer (co-man) audits, working closely with external partners to review and document their compliance with Oatly’s standards.
• Prepare detailed audit reports, including findings, corrective actions, and timelines for resolution.
• Collaborate with operations, quality, and co-manufacturer teams to resolve audit findings and ensure compliance.
• Maintain an internal and co-man auditing schedule, ensuring readiness for both planned and unannounced audits.
• Act as a key liaison between Oatly and co-manufacturers for documentation and audit-related activities.

Monitoring Programs and Training:

• Establish and oversee quality monitoring programs, including inspections for sanitation, product quality, and environmental controls.
• Train quality and operations personnel on document database systems, SOPs, monitoring programs, and change control processes.
• Assist with SOP and work instruction training to ensure understanding and consistent application across all teams.
• Verify and document compliance with SOPs, work instructions, and monitoring programs.

Regulatory Support:

• Support the Quality Manager with regulatory activities, including audits, inspections, license renewals, and interaction with state agencies.
• Assist in creating and maintaining Certificates of Analysis (COAs) for product holds and releases.
• Prepare documentation and maintain readiness for external audits, including HACCP, BRC, FSMA, and FDA requirements.
• Serve as a key member of the HACCP, BRC, and Risk Analysis Teams, ensuring proper documentation for compliance initiatives.

Continuous Improvement and Cross-Functional Support:

• Conduct root cause analyses for quality issues, implementing corrective actions to improve process controls.
• Support cross-functional teams during product scale-ups, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement projects.
• Collaborate with R&D, Quality, and Operations to document and validate changes in processes or products.
• Cross-train with QC Technicians to provide backup support during absences or high-demand periods.

Other Duties:

• Perform other responsibilities as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

Here are the things we think you need:

• 2+ years of experience in a quality documentation or auditing role, preferably in food or beverage manufacturing.
• Experience conducting internal audits and co-manufacturer audits preferred.
• HACCP and PCQI certifications are a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with document management systems is a plus.
• Familiarity with regulatory compliance (FDA, FSMA, HACCP, BRC).
• Strong attention to detail, organizational, and analytical skills.
• Effective communication and collaboration abilities.
• Self-starter with minimal supervision required and a commitment to individual accountability.

And here’s another list of qualities we think make a good Oatly team member:

• You feel connected to our mission of encouraging health, sustainability, and transparency
• You are a self-starter who doesn’t need direct supervision to motivate you for success – we believe strongly in building a culture of individual accountability and ownership and need partners that can embrace that mentality
• You are ready to make your mark in a smaller, growing brand leveraging your experience to deliver amazing results and build an outstanding company
• You have an entrepreneurial spirit in that you’re comfortable with ambiguity and are energized by the process of building something lasting from the ground up
• You enjoy sharing your quirkiness and talents with your coworkers

Another bulleted list felt redundant, so we wrote this long sentence with all the ways we sweeten the deal to work with us, like paid vacation, really great benefits, genuinely great coworkers who want to see the company and each other succeed, and a start-up vibe with an established company history.

The salary for this role will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to geographic location, internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific location. Compensation may also include bonus, commission, or equity as applicable. Our good faith estimate for base salary is $70,000.

Our team is available to support you through the hiring process with reasonable accommodations to enable a barrier-free interview experience. We will maintain candidate privacy and confidentiality to enable an unbiased and equitable experience. If you need assistance applying for a role due to a disability or special need, please contact talent.management@oatly.com.

Oatly is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.