Senior Microbiologist

The Senior Microbiologist management level role which exercises independent judgment in scientific development methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.

Position Profile

The Senior Microbiologist is a management role that exercises independent judgment in scientific development methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results. He / She ensures that all Raw Materials used in the manufacture of the company’s line of products, Finished Goods and Process Equipment are tested microbially and that the relevant related information is conveyed to all external departments and stakeholders.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Serves as in-house technical expert, providing technical support and troubleshooting and/or data analysis in managing situations and issues relative to quality and/or food safety.
• Ensures compliance with the SQF, corporate and international regulatory requirements to reduce risk due to micro-biological contamination;
• Ensures all machinery sanitization is within specification according to master schedules and specified timeframes;
• Monitors sanitation to ensure there are no micro failures due to improper sanitation protocol.
• Assist in food safety audits of plants and support product development manager with evaluation of new sensitive products re: shelf life.
• Monitor microbiological performance at relevant points in the supply chain process: plant/process/environment/raw packaging and finished goods.
• Trend microbial data (product, rinse water, environmental monitoring etc.).
• Assists in designing cleaning (CIP/COP) and sanitization procedures (SIP/SOP) for new systems.
• Advises on optimal sanitation to minimize cost and downtime, while ensuring that products are protected where there are no food safety risks or risk of cross contamination
• Performs and maintains testing the integrity of raw materials and maintaining contamination free environments throughout processing and manufacturing of the final product
• Reading, calculating and recording analysis data to produce reports of results
• Ensure compliance and record keeping for all mandated quality checks, testing, sampling and sanitation activities within the plant
• Monitor the microbiological program; collect and conduct microbiological analysis of product and process samples when necessary
• Perform water testing equipment evaluations and calibrations when necessary or required
• Accountable for the safe quality of goods during every stage of production
• Communicates procedural and operational difficulties and delays as requested
• Works in conjunction with the Lab Supervisor in communicating arising issues and / or general information with respect to the operation of R & D, Raw Materials and Microbiology
• Supervise and enforce proper sanitation and housekeeping procedures.
• Leads investigations of micro related quality issues, consumer complaints and regulation issues and ensures corrective actions are taken.
• Ensures that all documents related to micro, are in an audit ready state at all times and ensures all follow up actions are taken following an audit.
• Ensures all trending and tracking records are updated for reporting purposes and submitted within the specified timeframes. (within 2 hours of completion of the process).
• Conduct sensitization sessions for employees on microbiological food safety and sanitation processes and procedures at the intervals specified in SOP'S.
• Conduct quality and food safety audits, individually or as part of a team at internal plant locations.
• Studying the processing and packaging of foods.
• Recommending improvements while ensuring legal and certification requirements are met by the company
• Studying food spoilage and methods of preservation.
• Provides training to plant teams for issue management and procedure compliance.
• Performs new method development and implementation for newly approved methodologies.
• Conducts non-routine, specialized microbiological analyses as needed.
• Understand the transmission of foodborne diseases in order to prevent their occurrence and share findings to promote effective food and health and safety practices.
• Review QA technicians reports and practices to evaluate the accuracy of their results.
• Research the findings of other Microbiologists in the Beverage Manufacturing Industry and attend conferences to stay up-to-date.