Food Safety Specialist

University of Wisconsin; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 48,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

The Food Safety Specialist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Babcock Dairy Plant ensures full compliance with federal and state food safety regulations, enabling the legal and safe production of dairy products for human consumption. This role oversees the implementation, validation, and verification of FSMA and internal plant requirements.

The position requires PCQI certification or willingness to obtain within six months, strong documentation skills in MS Office and Google Docs, and the

Qualifications

• Experience using analytical and/or sensory testing methods for quality assurance and fraud detection
• Experience conducting risk assessments and implementing corrective actions to ensure compliance and product safety
• Must have, or be willing to obtain within 6 months of hire, PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification

Responsibilities

• Operate, clean, and maintain research equipment and space; track inventory
• Review, analyze, and interpret data for reporting
• Perform literature reviews and write reports
• Provide operational guidance to staff and student workers
• Conduct research experiments per established protocols; collect data and monitor results
• Develop and implement research methodology and materials
• Develop and maintain all food safety documentation for the food plant

Skills

Analytical testing

Risk assessment

PCQI certification

Education

Bachelor's degree in Microbiology/Food Science

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Research Specialist

Job Summary:

The Food Safety Specialist is responsible for ensuring that Babcock Dairy operates in full compliance with federal and state food safety regulations, enabling the legal and safe production of dairy products for human consumption. This role oversees the implementation, validation, and verification of all food safety protocols mandated by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and internal plant requirements.

Primary duties include:

• Completing and maintaining all required food safety documentation.
• Conducting analytical and sensory testing of incoming ingredients to detect and prevent fraud.
• Monitoring and testing allergen control systems to safeguard product integrity.
• Examining production processes to identify potential hazards and developing protocols to control or eliminate risks.
• Editing, maintaining, and storing records electronically with proficiency in Microsoft applications and Google Docs.
• Train staff on food safety protocols and provide clear documentation and reporting.
• Confront and address issues directly, including identifying mistakes, correcting errors, and ensuring accountability across teams.

The successful candidate must be computer literate, detail oriented, and capable of managing electronic documentation systems to support compliance and operational efficiency.

Additional information:

• A 12 month evaluation period may be required
• A criminal background check may be required
• Applicants must have or obtain a PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification upon hire. Candidates who need to obtain the certification will be required to do so within the first six months on the job. Cost of the training will be covered by the department and training may be completed while in work status.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Operates, cleans, and maintains organization of research equipment and research area. Tracks inventory levels and places replenishment orders
• Reviews, analyzes, and interprets data and/or documents results for presentations and/or reporting to internal and external audiences
• Performs literature reviews and writes reports
• Provides operational guidance on day-to-day activities of unit or program staff and/or student workers
• Conducts research experiments according to established research protocols with moderate impact to the project(s). Collects data and monitors test results
• Participates in the development, interpretation, and implementation of research methodology and materials
• Develop and maintain all food safety documentation for the food plant

Department:

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Department of Food Sciences, Babcock Dairy Plant

Compensation:

The minimum salary for this position is $53,500. Actual salary will depend on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Additional benefits information can be found at: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf

Required Qualifications:

• Experience using analytical and/or sensory testing methods for quality assurance and fraud detection
• Experience conducting risk assessments and implementing corrective actions to ensure compliance and product safety
• Must have, or be willing to obtain within 6 months of hire, PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) certification

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in dairy or other food manufacturing environments
• Use of food safety management systems (FSMS) and electronic compliance platforms

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Microbiology, Food Science, or related field preferred

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of the appointment. University sponsorship is not available for this position.

References: Finalists will be asked to provide contact information (phone and email) for three references, one of which must be a current or former supervisor. References will not be contacted without prior notice.

Contact Information:

Hong Zhang, [e-mail], [phone]
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY SERVICE for further information.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal OpportunityEmployer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.