Job Description:
Job: QA - Lab Tech
Shift: Afternoons
Location: Mars Petcare – Aurora, Nebraska
Mars Petcare is looking to hire a Quality Assurance Lab Tech our state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Aurora, Nebraska!
Being a Mars Associate is all about opportunity. The opportunity to do challenging, exciting work that shapes the world’s best-loved brands. To work with real purpose, supported by talented, friendly people from different backgrounds. Access the tools, training, and experience you need to impact our business, the planet positively, and, most importantly, your career. Being a Mars associate is more than a job. It’s the opportunity to start your tomorrow today.
The role is required to support the manufacturing of high-quality pet food that meets or exceeds all specifications set by Mars in the amount and schedule dictated by business needs. This function is responsible for all quality testing of inbound raw materials.
What will be your key responsibilities?
Perform activities of Quality Assurance as detailed in the Quality Systems manual.
Ability to perform all lab tests and finished product testing.
Communicate results of routine QA tests to production personnel. Notify supervisory personnel and QA Supervisor of product quality or plant conditions that may hurt the product and work together to correct the situation. In the case of finished products, perform follow-up testing until the situation is corrected and product disposition is resolved in a quality-conscious manner.
Collect ingredients and finished product samples as required.
Assist in special tests or inspections requested by the plant QA department by the Plant Manager, Shift Manager, and QA Manager.
Use analytical data to assist operations in determining the cause of issues.
Understand processes at NEA to troubleshoot issues.
Actively work towards quality improvement (final product, plant condition, and customer service) to improve productivity and cost reduction.
Lab housekeeping and equipment maintenance
Ability to actively address food safety and quality concerns.
Able to cover all receiving functions as necessary.
Able to cover all composite lab activities as needed.
Other duties as assigned.
Ensure adherence to all site food safety and security practices.
Maintain a safe and clean work environment to promote associate safety and product integrity.
Must be able to cover overtime for the area. 12 hr. shifts.
Initiate PRIMPS and non-conformances in Nexus System
Enter data into NIR and Infinity QS databases.
Maintain inventory and calibration for testing equipment in the lab.
Support material quality management sampling and submission.
Education/Professional Qualifications:
High school diploma or equivalent
1-2 years of experience (manufacturing environment and/or laboratory experience preferred)
What can you expect from Mars?
Work with over 130,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
Join a purpose-driven company where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
About Mars
An industry-competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus. Mars is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.
Skills Required
- High school diploma or equivalent
- 1–2 years of experience in a manufacturing and/or laboratory environment
- Ability to work afternoon 12-hour shifts and cover overtime as needed
Mars Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mars and has not been reviewed or approved by Mars.
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Healthcare Strength — The benefits package is positioned as comprehensive, with broad medical coverage and additional protections like life insurance and short- and long-term disability. Mental health support is emphasized, including free mental health services and wellbeing programming under initiatives such as Mars Be Well.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is highlighted as market-leading in the U.S., with an example of 18 weeks fully paid for both parents. Additional family-related leave types such as sick time for caregiving and bereavement leave are also described as part of the overall package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings are described as strong, including 401(k) matching (with a 6% match cited) and pension plans in some cases. The broader package also references retirement savings options and contributions aligned to local market practice, supporting long-term financial security.
Mars Insights
What We Do
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™. We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
