Microbiology Lab Manager

Position Summary

The Microbiology Lab Manager is responsible for leading the facilitys microbiological testing environmental monitoring and pathogen control programs to ensure product safety and regulatory compliance.

This role is critical in protecting Ready-to-Eat (RTE) products by proactively identifying and controlling biological risks including pathogens such as Listeria spp. Salmonella and other environmental contaminants.

This role serves as the technical expert on biological contamination risk providing actionable insights to prevent contamination events and strengthen sanitation and zoning effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) Ownership

• Design and manage EMP across:
  • Zones 14
• Determine:
  • Sampling locations
  • Frequency
  • Expansion strategies after positives
• Focus on:
  • Listeria spp.
  • Indicator organisms

Microbiological Testing & Lab Operations

• Oversee:
  • Product testing
  • Environmental swabbing
  • Water testing
• Ensure:
  • Lab accuracy and reliability
  • Equipment calibration and validation
• Maintain proper documentation and compliance

Pathogen Detection & Control Strategy

• Identify:
  • Harborage points
  • Recurring contamination areas
• Provide recommendations to:
  • Sanitation
  • FSQ
  • Operations

Data Analysis & Risk Identification

• Analyze micro data trends
• Identify:
  • Hotspots
  • Recurring risks
• Provide actionable insightsnot just reports

Response to Environmental Positives

• Lead structured response to:
  • Listeria positives
• Ensure:
  • Root cause analysis
  • Deep cleaning and validation
  • Expanded sampling

Sanitation Validation Support

• Validate effectiveness through:
  • Swab data
  • ATP trends
• Identify weaknesses in sanitation execution

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with:
  • FSQ RTE Manager contamination control
  • FSQ Raw Manager upstream risk
  • Operations implementation of fixes

Key Performance Metrics

• Environmental positive rate (e.g. Listeria)
• Repeat positives / harborage events
• Product microbiological compliance
• Time to resolution for positives
• EMP compliance rate
• Audit performance (micro-related findings)

Experience

• 510 years in:
  • Food manufacturing microbiology or QA
• Strong experience with:
  • RTE food environments (highly preferred)
  • USDA-regulated facilities
  • Environmental monitoring programs

Technical Skills

• Expertise in:
  • Listeria control strategies
  • Environmental sampling methods
  • Pathogen testing protocols
• Familiarity with:
  • ATP systems
  • Rapid micro testing technologies
• Understanding of:
  • Hygienic design principles
  • Sanitation chemistry

Leadership Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
• Ability to influence across functions (Ops Sanitation QA)
• Detail-oriented with strong data discipline
• High accountability and urgency in risk management

Critical Success Factors

This role will be successful if the individual can:

• Identify and eliminate: Hidden contamination sources (especially drains niches and traffic flow risks)
• Transform the plant from: Reactive testing proactive risk prevention
• Build: A highly effective data-driven environmental monitoring system
• Strengthen: Sanitation validation and zoning discipline

Why This Role Matters

This role is the facilitys primary defense against biological contamination risk

In this environment (RTE current zoning/sanitation gaps) this position is:

• Mission-critical for regulatory compliance
• Essential for preventing contamination events
• A key partner in stabilizing food safety performance

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the team member is regularly required to sit use hands to finger handle or feel and talk or hear. The team member is occasionally required to stand walk and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet/slippery floors. However the vast amount of work is conducted in a climate-controlled building. Limited travel may be required.

Qualifications :

• Bachelors degree in:
  • Microbiology Food Science Biology or related field
• Advanced degree (preferred)

Additional Information :

The salary range for this role is $90000- $110000 (Annually).  Actual salaries will vary based on several factors including but not limited to external market data internal equity location and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Jack Links Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Jack Links provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members including medical dental and vision benefits life and disability insurance 401k participation paid holidays and paid time off.

Disclaimer:

This job description is intended to generally describe the nature and level of work to be performed by employees in this position. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and skills required of employees performing this role.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
Jack Links provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age color national origin citizenship status physical or mental disability race religion creed gender sex sexual orientation gender identity and/or expression genetic information marital status status with regard to public assistance veteran status or any other characteristic that is protected by federal state or local law.

E-VERIFY:
Jack Links is a participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees.  For information about the E-Verify program please visit:  your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
 

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time