Senior Microbiology Manager

Sr. Manager of Microbiology

Drive food safety and quality initiatives with a focus on microbiological risk management, providing technical leadership, overseeing environmental monitoring programs, and supporting food safety policies to ensure compliance with industry standards.

Position Description:

The Sr. Manager of Microbiology will manage and drive continuous improvement in food safety and quality programs, particularly those related to microbiological risks.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and continuously improve environmental monitoring programs.
• Develop and oversee food safety preventive controls and critical control points to mitigate microbiological risks.
• Conduct ingredient risk assessments and participate in supplier approvals and audits.
• Manage and provide leadership to the Microbiology Team, setting goals and evaluating performance.
• Monitor emerging food safety and microbiological risks, developing mitigation strategies.
• Provide technical support to manufacturing sites for food safety risk reduction and policy implementation.
• Lead validation studies for new products, equipment, and processes to confirm microbiological and food safety compliance.
• Guide sanitary design and operational practices to enhance food safety.
• Lead internal audit programs and collaborate with Sanitation and QA teams to improve environmental controls.
• Partner with Operations, Sanitation, and Innovation teams to drive best practices in sanitation and allergen control.
• Support food safety investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective action planning.
• Evaluate and implement emerging technologies for managing food safety and microbiological risks.

Qualifications for Position:

Knowledge:

• Strong expertise in microbiological methods, food safety, and sanitation protocols.
• Understanding of HACCP, FSMA, and GFSI standards.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements (USDA/FSIS, FDA) and compliance programs.
• Knowledge of food microbiology, microbial risk assessments, and mitigation strategies.
• Advanced understanding of sanitary design, cleaning chemistry, and pest control.
• Experience with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and method validation.

Skills:

• Excellent leadership, team management, and mentoring abilities.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Effective communication and technical writing abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Expertise in data analysis and trend identification to drive continuous improvement.

Abilities:

• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and emerging risks.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive food safety initiatives.

Essential Functions:

• Ability to work in refrigerated and non-refrigerated environments, including:
• Process rooms: 40 to 55°F.
• Coolers: 32 to 40°F.
• Freezers: -20 to 32°F.
• Blast Freezers: -15 to 0°F.
• Non-refrigerated areas: 55 to 85°F or higher.
• Ability to lift and move items weighing 25 to 50 pounds.
• Frequent standing, walking, and interacting with lab and production environments.

Education and Experience:

• Master's degree in Food Science, Food Microbiology, Biology, or related field (PhD preferred).
• 10 years of leadership experience in food safety, microbiology, and compliance (5 years with a PhD).
• Experience with Ready-to-Eat refrigerated products and food manufacturing.
• Experience managing HACCP, FSMA, and GFSI programs and audits.
• PCQI certification is required.