QC Officer – Coffee

Coffee speciality group in Dubai, UAE is looking for a QC Officer who will oversee quality control processes, sensory evaluations, and roast analysis. This role requires close collaboration with the Roasting, Sourcing, and Barista teams to enhance product quality, drive innovation, and deliver exceptional coffee experiences to customers.

Job Title: Quality Control Officer – Coffee
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Experience: Minimum 4 years
Industry: Coffee / Specialty Coffee / Food & Beverage
Employment Type: Full-Time
Driving Licence: Valid UAE Driving Licence – Mandatory

Job Responsibilities

Coffee Quality Control & Sensory Evaluation

• Conduct scheduled and periodic quality-control inspections at assigned customer locations.
• Perform professional coffee cupping and sensory evaluations to assess coffee quality and consistency.
• Evaluate key sensory attributes including aroma, flavour, acidity, sweetness, body, balance, aftertaste, and overall cup quality.
• Monitor coffee consistency across different batches, products, locations, machines, and preparation methods.
• Identify deviations from approved coffee specifications and quality standards.
• Support the evaluation and approval of coffee samples and new coffee products.
• Conduct product tastings and provide technical feedback to relevant teams.

Espresso & Beverage Quality

• Inspect espresso preparation and extraction parameters at customer sites.
• Monitor variables including dose, grind size, extraction time, yield, water temperature, pressure, and brewing consistency.
• Assess milk steaming, milk texture, beverage temperature, presentation, and consistency.
• Evaluate brewing methods and ensure correct preparation procedures are followed.
• Identify factors affecting coffee quality, including incorrect recipes, poor extraction, equipment issues, water quality, storage conditions, and barista practices.
• Recommend adjustments to improve beverage quality and consistency.

Coffee Machine & Grinder Calibration

• Conduct regular coffee machine and grinder calibration at customer locations.
• Ensure grinders are correctly adjusted according to coffee characteristics, recipe requirements, and environmental conditions.
• Check espresso machines for appropriate operating parameters and performance.
• Maintain accurate machine and grinder calibration records.
• Identify equipment-related quality problems and coordinate with technical teams when maintenance or repair is required.
• Verify equipment performance following servicing, repair, or calibration.

Barista Training & Technical Support

• Train and coach baristas on espresso preparation, coffee brewing, grinding, milk steaming, equipment operation, cleaning, and hygiene.
• Provide practical guidance on coffee extraction and beverage preparation techniques.
• Demonstrate correct machine and grinder operating procedures.
• Conduct refresher training where recurring quality issues are identified.
• Assess barista performance against established coffee quality standards.
• Support the development and implementation of standardized coffee preparation procedures.

Customer Quality Audits & Site Inspections

• Conduct customer-site quality audits and inspections according to established schedules and checklists.
• Inspect coffee preparation areas, equipment, storage areas, hygiene practices, and operational procedures.
• Review coffee storage conditions, packaging integrity, product identification, batch information, and expiry dates.
• Monitor compliance with established coffee quality and food safety requirements.
• Document non-conformities and communicate findings to customers and Management.
• Follow up on corrective actions and verify their effective implementation.

Food Safety & Hygiene

• Monitor food safety and hygiene practices at customer locations.
• Inspect personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitation, equipment cleanliness, storage conditions, temperature control, expiry dates, and cross-contamination risks.
• Identify potential food safety hazards associated with coffee preparation and beverage service.
• Promote good hygiene and sanitation practices among baristas and customer teams.
• Ensure quality-control activities support applicable food safety requirements and company procedures.

Corrective Actions & Continuous Improvement

• Investigate coffee quality complaints, recurring quality issues, and customer concerns.
• Conduct root-cause analysis to determine the underlying causes of quality problems.
• Recommend practical corrective and preventive actions.
• Follow up with customer and internal teams to verify that corrective actions have been completed.
• Monitor recurring issues and recommend preventive measures.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of coffee quality systems, procedures, training programs, and operational standards.

Customer Feedback & Quality Reporting

• Collect and document customer feedback relating to coffee quality, beverages, equipment, service, and product performance.
• Prepare detailed QC visit reports, inspection reports, sensory evaluation records, calibration logs, training records, and corrective-action reports.
• Communicate significant quality issues and recommendations to Management.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date quality documentation.
• Monitor quality trends and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Provide technical and quality support to Sales and Operations teams.

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Product Demonstrations & Customer Support

• Conduct coffee tastings, product demonstrations, and technical presentations for new and existing customers.
• Support customer onboarding by providing guidance on coffee preparation, equipment setup, recipes, and quality requirements.
• Assist Sales teams with technical product information and customer recommendations.
• Provide recommendations based on customer requirements, coffee profile, equipment, preparation methods, and operational conditions.
• Develop strong professional relationships with customers through regular quality visits and technical support.

Requirements

• Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience in Coffee Quality Control, Coffee Operations, Specialty Coffee, Coffee Production, Coffee Training, Quality Assurance, or a similar position.
• Strong practical knowledge of specialty coffee and coffee quality standards.
• Hands-on experience in coffee cupping and sensory evaluation.
• Strong understanding of espresso extraction, coffee brewing methods, grinding, dosing, and beverage preparation.
• Practical experience with coffee machine and grinder calibration.
• Previous experience conducting barista training, customer-site inspections, quality audits, or technical customer visits.
• Good understanding of food safety, hygiene, cleaning, storage, and quality-control practices.
• Strong knowledge of coffee preparation variables and their impact on final beverage quality.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, communication, reporting, and customer-service skills.
• Ability to identify quality deviations and recommend effective corrective actions.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple customer locations.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to customer sites across Dubai and other locations as required.
• Valid UAE Driving Licence is mandatory.

Job Qualifications

Candidates with qualifications in coffee, food science, hospitality, or quality management are preferred.

Recommended educational and professional qualifications include:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in:
  • Food Science
  • Food Technology
  • Quality Management
  • Hospitality Management
  • Culinary Arts
  • Coffee Studies
  • or another relevant discipline.
• Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) certifications in areas such as:
  • Sensory Skills
  • Barista Skills
  • Brewing
  • Green Coffee
  are highly preferred.
• Q Grader certification or another recognized professional coffee-cupping or sensory qualification is a strong advantage.
• HACCP, Food Safety, or related food safety certification is an advantage.
• Additional qualifications in coffee quality, sensory analysis, barista training, or quality assurance will be considered beneficial.

Key Skills

The ideal candidate should demonstrate strong skills in:

• Coffee Quality Control
• Specialty Coffee
• Coffee Cupping
• Sensory Evaluation
• Espresso Extraction
• Coffee Brewing
• Grinder Calibration
• Coffee Machine Calibration
• Barista Training
• Coffee Tasting