Work Experience

Agricultural Commodity Grader USDA, Agricultural Marketing Services, Quality Assessment Division

FEB '15 - present SIOUX FALLS, SD area and OLYMPIA, WA area

As the sole USDA representative on-site: Perform daily pre-operational inspection of the entire facility for safety, cleanliness and sanitation. Ad hoc remediation and documentation of problems before allowing production to start. Maintain a positive relationship with laborers, logistical personnel, compliance personnel, front office personnel, truck drivers, production managers and farmers / owners; with intransigence regarding USDA (and FDA) standards and protocol. Grading of agricultural products in accordance to applicable CFR's. Continuous monitoring of process and packaging / labeling machinery, warehouses, coolers and personnel. Communicating issues and resolving or ameliorating them fairly and ethically. Documenting grading worksheets, inspection reports, production volume reports, various types of certificates, etc., while adequately sampling product moving at very high throughput.

Food Science & Packaging student, San Jose State University Nutrition, Food Science & Packaging

JAN '12 - MAY '14 (2 YEARS, 4 MONTHS) SAN JOSE, CA

Studied packaging design and testing under Lucy McProud, Ph.D. and Fritz Yambrach, Ph.D.

Sheet Metal Worker Multiple employers (Worked for O.C. McDonald well over 2 years.)

AUG '03 - JUN '11 (7 YEARS, 10 MONTHS) San Francisco Bay Area

Apprenticed on the job and in the classroom: First as a Residential AC Specialist, then later went on to Commercial Building Trades. Fabricated duct fittings and architectural sheet metal using both manual and automated equipment. Assembled and installed heaters, air conditioners, exhaust systems and mostly duct at many different job sites, including Lucille Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, Christopher High School in Gilroy, the CalTrain Maintenance Station at Stockton and Taylor in San Jose, and NUMMI in Fremont.

Manufacturing Technician Impax Laboratories

APR '01 - NOV '01 (7 MONTHS) HAYWARD, CA

Formulated, compounded and processed pharmaceutical drug ingredients, in adherence to the GMP's outlined in 21 CFR 211, to make tablets and capsules. Set-up, operated, took down, cleaned and sanitized tablet presses, capsule machines, a Glatt granulator, enteric coating ovens, and other ancillary equipment. Kept Batch Records, Production and Validation Records and FDA Compliance Records.

Production Technician Abaxis, Incorporated

NOV '98 - MAR '01 (2 YEARS, 4 MONTHS) UNION CITY, CA

Created reagent beads by dispensing precisely sized drops of various formulations into liquid nitrogen, then freeze-drying them. Analyzed data from samples of the dried beads, then aliquoted specified quantities into vials. Set-up and maintained the nine dispensing stations, which produce to very close tolerance, on a daily basis. Calibrated and kept records of lab equipment and production. Dealt with hazardous waste as required. Formulated reagents in a Clean Room and a Dry Room.

Electronic Technician Communication Transmission Technologies

JAN '97 - JAN '98 (1 YEAR) Santa Clara, CA

Assembled, tuned and stress-tested microwave and radio-frequency amplifiers for pre-production. Worked from blueprints on very small circuits under a microscope. Used a scalar network analyzer while tuning, then later a power meter, noise meter, oscilloscope, etc., for testing. Logged detailed records of how the amplifiers behaved under different stressors such as extreme heat, cold and G-Forces.

Learning Technologies Liaison NASA Ames Research Center

MAR '96 - JUN '97 (1 YEAR, 3 MONTHS) Moffett Field, CA

Acted as a liaison between scientists, teachers and grade-school students in an effort to expose very young children to the physics of flight. Upgraded the Science curriculum at two primary schools using Legos Data Acquisition and Prototyping Software (and hardware), with lesson plans developed by grad students at Tufts University, MIT and Wellesley College. Configured and maintained a 30-client, TCP/IP based Macintosh LAN at Ronald McNair Middle School in East Palo Alto. Facilitated the Rocket Club on Friday afternoons, where 6th through 8th graders built and set-off model rockets.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science: Packaging Sciences, San Jose State University. Graduated May 2014.

Journeyperson (5-year Apprenticeship): Sheet Metal Workers Training Center, San Jose, CA.

A.S. Data Communications: Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA. Graduated June 1997.

A.S. Electronics: Foothill College. Graduated March 1997

A.A. Liberal Arts: De Anza College, Cupertino, CA. Graduated June 1995.

LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/cooperdavidw1

Other skills: Machine shop experience of about one year on manual mill, lathe, grinder, bandsaw, heat treating ovens – and with Vernier calipers, micrometers, depth gages, hardness testers for inspection. Electronic assembly, rework, inspection and touch-up solder, also about one year. Certified Nurse Assistant (lapsed) and Direct Care provider at group homes, Old Folks’ homes and at hospitals for about 2 years total. CPR certified multiple times, First Aid certified twice, both of which have lapsed now. OSHA 10 (Safety Training) certified, which never lapses. Respirator training. HACCP (Food Safety).

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