Hemp Brands

The Pack Labs•Los Angeles, CA

8d•$70,000 - $80,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Quality Assurance & Quality Control (QA/QC) Manager reports to VP of Operations and is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing a first-in-class quality program across Hemp Preroll, Vape, and Gummy Edible manufacturing operations. This role ensures all raw materials, in-process products, and finished goods meet regulatory requirements, internal specifications, and customer quality standards. The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in hemp flower and strain evaluation, a strong understanding of extract-based vape products and edible formulations, and the technical capability to design, equip, and operate an internal QA/QC laboratory supporting a diversified hemp product portfolio.

Requirements

5+ years of QA/QC experience in hemp, cannabis, nutraceutical, food, or regulated manufacturing environments.
Demonstrated expertise in hemp flower inspection, strain familiarity, and preroll quality control.
Experience overseeing quality programs for extract-based and/or edible products.
Hands-on experience building or managing a QA/QC lab or inspection program.
Strong working knowledge of GMPs, SOP development, CAPA, and audit readiness.
Prior people management or team lead experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with high-volume preroll manufacturing and automated equipment.
Experience with vape filling equipment and gummy production lines.
Knowledge of terpenes, cannabinoids, stability testing, and shelf-life validation.
Experience implementing digital QMS or batch record systems.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and maintain a comprehensive Quality Management System (QMS) across prerolls, vapes, and gummy edibles.
Develop and control SOPs, work instructions, batch records, and specifications for: Hemp flower intake and storage Preroll manufacturing Vape formulation, filling, and packaging Gummy edible production and packaging.
Ensure compliance with: Federal and state hemp regulations GMP and food-grade manufacturing requirements (for edibles) OSHA and workplace safety standards
Lead internal audits, manage CAPAs, and support customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
Serve as the company’s subject-matter expert for hemp flower quality and strain performance.
Establish strain-specific quality standards covering visual characteristics, terpene and aroma integrity, freshness, moisture content, and water activity levels.
Oversee best practices for hemp flower handling and storage, including environmental controls, FIFO and lot traceability procedures, and contamination or degradation prevention.
Train production teams on flower inspection, proper handling techniques, and defect identification to ensure consistent preroll quality and burn performance.
Oversee QA/QC processes for vape cartridges, disposables, and related hardware.
Ensure the quality and consistency of distillates and cannabinoid extracts, terpene blending accuracy, and compatibility between oil formulations and vape hardware.
Implement inspection and testing protocols for fill weights, volume accuracy, viscosity, flow consistency, and hardware functionality.
Coordinate third-party laboratory testing for potency, contaminants, and product stability while ensuring vape products meet all safety, performance, and labeling requirements.
Establish and enforce food-grade quality standards for gummy edible manufacturing.
Oversee ingredient verification, allergen management, recipe accuracy, batch consistency, and product standards for texture, flavor, and appearance.
Ensure weight uniformity and cannabinoid homogeneity across edible batches while maintaining compliance with sanitation, hygiene, and GMP food manufacturing practices.
Monitor product shelf-life, stability, and packaging integrity to ensure consistent consumer quality and regulatory compliance.
Lead the design and build-out of an internal QA/QC laboratory that supports quality testing for flower, vape, and edible products.
Identify, procure, and manage laboratory equipment such as precision balances, moisture analyzers, water activity meters, microscopy tools, airflow and draw resistance testing devices, environmental monitoring systems, and viscosity and fill-volume verification tools.
Establish calibration, validation, and maintenance programs for all laboratory equipment.
Manage relationships with third-party analytical laboratories and review Certificates of Analysis (COAs) to ensure accuracy, compliance, and product safety.
Train production, fulfillment, and inventory teams on quality standards, inspection procedures, and GMP best practices.
Work closely with operations, production, R&D, and supply chain teams during new product introductions, strain launches, process changes, and production scale-ups.
Serve as the primary quality liaison for internal teams and external partners when addressing quality inquiries, investigations, and issue resolution.
Track and analyze quality performance metrics including defect rates, scrap, rework, yield loss, COA pass and fail trends, and customer complaints or returns.
Conduct root cause analysis on quality issues and implement corrective and preventive actions to prevent recurrence.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen product consistency, reduce waste, improve operational efficiency, and maintain the highest standards of product quality.