Company description

Happy Dirt was founded in 2004 when local and organic produce was not easy to find in the Southeast. We operated as Eastern Carolina Organics for 15 years, focusing solely on buying and distributing produce from North Carolina organic farmers. In 2019 we re-branded to Happy Dirt to scale up our ability to serve customers and farmers by building up the organic produce supply chain beyond our state borders. We are as committed as ever to building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with the hundreds of farmers and wholesale buyers that we now partner with throughout North America.

Job description

Happy Dirt’s Quality & Inventory Specialist plays a central role in the company’s QIC department. This person works closely with Happy Dirt staff, some farmers/customers, and donation partners to ensure the company receives and distributes consistent, high-quality produce.

Their work focuses on fresh produce quality inspections, inventory control, and reporting – inspecting product as it arrives, monitoring quality and inventory counts when it is stored, and communicating their findings to Happy Dirt’s Sales, Purchasing, and Operations teams.

The Quality & Inventory Specialist works alongside Happy Dirt’s Quality & Inventory Lead, working together to prioritize and complete the team’s responsibilities. While this role occasionally works on communication, research, and troubleshooting larger issues, this roles’ primary tasks include daily preparations, inspections, and clean up alongside the other members of the QIC team (currently, a team of two people).

The Quality and Inventory Specialist also helps oversee Happy Dirt’s donation program. This includes tracking item quality to determine what items may appropriate for donations, making decisions about what donation partners can utilize, communicating with those partners, and recording donation data.

Happy Dirt’s Operations team members are cross-trained to help across the department’s varied responsibilities; this includes tasks such as shipping and receiving orders, and completing food safety-related cleaning and sanitation. The QIC Team is also responsible for assisting in small, weekly warehouse tasks – ensuring compost bins are put out for pick up and maintain the staff box offerings.

The Quality & Inventory Specialist coordinates daily with Happy Dirt’s Fulfillment Manager and the Shipping and Receiving Team. This position reports to Happy Dirt’s Operations Manager.
Responsibilities & Duties:

-Ensure all product received is inspected to required USDA and/or customer specifications
-Monitor quality of product stored in inventory
-Properly organize and store inspection results
-Efficiently communicate findings to Happy Dirt staff, farmers, and customers as necessary
-Collect, learn, and communicate relevant USDA and customer produce specifications to staff and farmers
-Analyze past quality issues and trends and work proactively to prepare farms and staff for upcoming items and seasons
-Research new items and educate staff, customers, and farmers on their quality-related specifics and requirements
-Verify the completion of food safety checklists and inspections on a daily/weekly/monthly basis
-Help complete necessary food safety records and documents
-Conduct bi-weekly produce inventory counts
-Facilitate food donations: determine donation-quality items, remove from inventory, facilitate donation logistics by communicating with donation partners, track and record donation data
-Be the main point of contact for quality issues when Quality Lead is out of office

Schedule:
8am-2pm Sunday
8am-4pm Monday to Friday (with 1 day off during the week)
May occasionally work 7am-3pm
35-40 hrs/week

Qualifications:

-Skilled communicator
-Able to make quick decisions and work under pressure
-Quick to engage in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment
-Self-starter – able to find and prioritize your own tasks
-Extreme attention to detail
-Understanding of USDA specifications
-Experience inspecting, grading, sorting fresh produce
-Experience implementing GFSI-based food safety programs
-Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs or Google Drive applications
-Experience driving an electric jack and/or forklift
-Must be able to lift up to 50lb, stand/walk and work in 36F temperatures for extended periods of time

BENEFITS & PAY
$20-$22/hr depending on experience
Potential for a raise after 90 day probationary period
Blue Cross Blue Shield Health and Dental Insurance
PTO accrual
Paid short term disability and life insurance policies
401k matching program
Free weekly produce bags
Annual boot stipend (for warehouse staff)

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Application instructions

Deadline

July 20, 2025