Quality Excellence & Food Safety Specialist

Abbott; Cootehill; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Abbott Laboratories in Ireland seeks a Quality Excellence & Food Safety Specialist to support site quality performance, food safety initiatives, and continuous improvement across the Cootehill facility. You will analyse quality metrics, prepare PoP and Food Safety reports, investigate CAPAs, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to standardize processes and ensure regulatory compliance.

Ideal candidates have a Bachelor's in a related field and at least two years' experience in quality

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in food science, dairy science, pharmaceutical science, engineering, or related field.
• Experience or knowledge in Food Microbiology or Food Chemistry is a plus.
• Minimum 2 years in a similar role.

Responsibilities

• Monitor Quality Excellence metrics and report performance trends.
• Prepare quality reports, scorecards, and governance presentations.
• Coordinate data for Management Reviews and governance forums.
• Maintain QA visuals and communicate quality achievements.
• Support Product of Process and food safety initiatives.
• Analyze data to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
• Assist with CAPAs and root-cause investigations.
• Support audits and documentation management.
• Contribute to HRP activities and continuous improvement projects.
• Help track quality actions and budgets.

Skills

Quality management

Project management

Data analysis

Communication

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Data reporting tools

Job description

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Abbott in Ireland

Abbott has maintained a strong presence in Ireland since 1946 and celebrates its 80th anniversary in the country in 2026. The company supports the Irish healthcare sector with a broad portfolio spanning diagnostics, diabetes care, medical devices and nutritional products. Today, Abbott employs more than 6,200 people across ten sites located in Dublin, Donegal, Clonmel, Cootehill, Galway, Kilkenny, Longford and Sligo.

Abbott Ireland Nutrition Division Cootehill Cavan

Abbott Nutrition produces a range of infant formulae in all pack sizes under the brand name "Similac". To complement the range of "Similac" infant formulae, the facility also manufactures a range of follow on formulae under the brand name of "Gain". The essential ingredient is liquid skim milk and this is combined with carbohydrate, vegetable oils, vitamins and minerals. The product is blended, pasteurised, dried and packaged at the site and once packaged, is distributed to Europe, South East Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Canada.

Established in 1975, Abbott Nutrition in Ireland is the largest powder manufacturing facility for the production of infant formulae within the Abbott Corporation worldwide. Approximately 1,000 dairy farms in Ireland and Northern Ireland supply quality milk to the Cootehill facility which processes 500,000 litres per day. This secure supply together with Ireland’s reputation as a green, clean environment is of significant strategic importance to Abbott Nutrition.

Please note any offer of employment for this position is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination, including drug and alcohol screening, conducted by a medical practitioner designated by the Company.

Quality Excellence & Food Safety Specialist

Role Overview

Reporting to the CAPA & Validation Manager, the Quality Excellence & Food Safety Specialist is responsible for supporting quality performance monitoring, food safety initiatives, continuous improvement activities, and quality governance processes across the site. The role provides specialist support in the analysis of quality metrics, Product of Process (PoP) activities, management review preparation, compliance initiatives, and operational excellence programmes, while promoting a strong culture of quality and food safety.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Excellence & Governance

• Support the monitoring and reporting of site Quality Excellence (QualEx) metrics, ensuring data accuracy and timely escalation of performance trends.
• Prepare quality performance reports, scorecards, and presentations for site leadership and governance meetings.
• Coordinate the collection, analysis, and presentation of data for Executive Management Reviews and Quality Management Reviews.
• Maintain QA visual management boards and support communication of quality performance, achievements, and improvement opportunities across the site.
• Track quality action items arising from management reviews and governance forums to ensure timely completion.

Food Safety

• Support Product of Process programmes and contribute to site food safety initiatives.
• Analyse quality and food safety data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Assist with investigations, root cause analysis, and the implementation of corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs).
• Prepare monthly PoP and Food Safety reports and support presentations to relevant stakeholder groups.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and other sites to share best practices and drive standardisation of quality processes.

Continuous Improvement & Human Reliability

• Support the implementation and maintenance of Human Reliability Program (HRP) activities within the quality function.
• Participate in Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence (OpEx), and Cost of Quality projects.
• Analyse quality performance data and recommend improvement initiatives to enhance compliance, efficiency, and product quality.
• Facilitate problem-solving workshops and support the execution of improvement projects across the site.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and quality excellence through active engagement with site teams.

Compliance & Support

• Ensure activities comply with site quality standards, food safety requirements, regulatory expectations, and SOPs.
• Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits, including audit preparation, documentation management, and follow-up actions.
• Assist in tracking audit findings, CAPAs, and quality system improvement actions.
• Support quality documentation, reporting, and record management activities.
• Contribute to QA budget tracking, reporting, and administrative support activities as required.
• Provide support to the wider Quality Assurance team and participate in cross-functional projects.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in food science, Dairy Science, Pharmaceutical Science, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Qualifications or experience in Food Microbiology or Food Chemistry would be an advantage.
• Minimum of 2yrs experience in a similar role

Key Skills

• Project management and organisational skills.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and data reporting tools.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
• Experience with Human Reliability Programmes (HRP), CAPA systems, or quality management processes.
• Knowledge of food manufacturing, nutrition, dairy, or pharmaceutical environments.

Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives: Abbott in Ireland | Benefits

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