Global Applied Microbiology Director, Quality & Food Safety

UNAVAILABLE; Hoofddorp; On-site; EUR 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Danone seeks a Quality and Food Safety Applied Microbiology Director to lead QFS governance across manufacturing environments and drive safety and quality through sound microbiological strategies. You will own EMP design, data-driven risk assessment, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver global standards.

You will build early-warning systems, manage crisis assessments for pathogens/spoilage, and partner with R&I, Regulatory, and Operations to embed microbial controls in Food Safety

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in Microbiology, Food Science, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology or related discipline.
• 8–12 years of experience in applied food microbiology, food safety, or quality roles within manufacturing, R&I, or regulatory environments.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, risk-based food safety systems, and international food safety regulations (e.g. Codex, EU, FDA).
• Proven ability in data analysis, trend interpretation, and risk assessment.
• Familiarity with advanced analytical approaches (rapid methods, genomics, predictive microbiology) is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Define microbiological criteria and sampling plan stringency for raw materials & finished products; align with control and surveillance frameworks.
• Own the design, implementation, governance, and continuous improvement of the Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) across relevant manufacturing environments.
• Build early-warning system: trending, triggers, escalation and intervention playbooks.
• Lead crisis assessments for pathogens/spoilage/EMP events and ensure learnings convert into standards/tools.
• Partner with HACCP team to embed microbial control strategies into Food Safety Plans.
• Partner with Analytical excellence to strengthen microlab network capability, method fitness, interpretation guidance, and decision trees.
• Develop QFS training programs and global community of practice for sharing best practices.
• Digital & Data - maintain accurate QFS data in PLM systems and deploy dashboards for KPIs, risk trends, and audits.

Skills

HACCP knowledge

Data analysis

Crisis management

Stakeholder engagement

English fluency

Education

PhD or Master’s in Microbiology, Food Science, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology

Job description

Danone seeks a Quality and Food Safety Applied Microbiology Director to lead QFS governance across manufacturing environments and drive safety and quality through sound microbiological strategies. You will own EMP design, data-driven risk assessment, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver global standards.

You will build early-warning systems, manage crisis assessments for pathogens/spoilage, and partner with R&I, Regulatory, and Operations to embed microbial controls in Food Safety