Laboratory Manager

Johnsonville; Sheboygan Falls (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Monthly bonus

401k with company match

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Paid time off

Onsite fitness center

Onsite medical clinic

Job summary

Johnsonville seeks a Laboratory Coordinator (Manager) to lead microbiology and chemistry teams, building capabilities and driving ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. You will partner across the organization to translate technical insights into actionable risk management and quality improvements.

You’ll oversee staff development, laboratory operations, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure accurate testing, defensible results, and continued alignment with regulatory and business needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in microbiology, food science, meat science, or related science required.
• 7+ years of progressive laboratory experience in food, meat, microbiology, chemistry, or another regulated testing environment, required.
• 3+ years of laboratory leadership or supervisory responsibility, required.
• Background working within or implementing an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory, required.
• A2LA assessment preparation or participation strongly preferred.
• Food or meat microbiology and chemistry testing background, including pathogen, environmental, compositional, and rapid methods, strongly preferred.
• Experience with LIMS, data governance, statistical analysis, and Microsoft 365 applications, preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead attainment and maintenance of A2LA accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025, including applications, scope, assessments, renewals, and corrective actions.
• Own the laboratory quality management system, including document control, internal audits, reviews, nonconforming work, complaints, corrective action, impartiality, confidentiality, and continual improvement.
• Maintain proficiency testing, quality indicators, and objective evidence showing effectiveness of the accredited scope.
• Provide technical oversight for meat and poultry sample receipt, preparation, microbiology and chemistry testing, result review, and reporting.
• Ensure methods are fit for use through verification, validation, quality controls, measurement traceability, equipment control, and uncertainty evaluation.
• Authorize defensible results and lead investigations, troubleshooting, technology evaluation, and plant/enterprise support.
• Coach laboratory staff, manage training, competency assessment, and succession planning.
• Direct staffing, workflow, sample custody, testing schedules, safety, supplies, budgets, and capacity.
• Maintain LIMS data integrity and use trends for process improvement.

Skills

ISO 17025 knowledge

Audit readiness

Quality control

Root-cause analysis

Technical leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication to leadership

Education

Bachelor’s in microbiology, food science, meat science, or related science

Tools

LIMS

Microsoft 365

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Our No. 1 priority at Johnsonville is providing a safe work environment for every Member we employ. Our industry-leading safety record, coupled with the safety awards we’ve received, demonstrate this commitment. Members of our safety team maintain the safety of Johnsonville Members in our facilities, continuously finding new and better ways to do so. We’re also dedicated to producing only the highest-quality products for consumers worldwide to enjoy – ones we would be proud to serve at our own family table. Our quality team ensures Johnsonville meets or exceeds all standards set by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), of the US Department of Agriculture and other regulatory agencies. Our commitment to quality is unparalleled, thanks to the dedication of each quality team member.

Position Overview

As Johnsonville’s Laboratory Coordinator (Manager), you’ll have the opportunity to lead and develop our microbiology and chemistry teams while building laboratory capabilities that make an impact across the business. You’ll ensure reliable, accurate and defensible laboratory testing, lead our journey to A2LA accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025, and create a culture of quality, continuous improvement, and audit readiness. You’ll also partner across the organization to turn technical insights into meaningful action and ensure our laboratory continues to meet the evolving needs of the business.

Responsibilities

Accreditation & Quality Management

• Lead attainment and maintenance of A2LA accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025, including the application, scope, assessments, renewals, and corrective-action responses.
• Own the laboratory quality management system, including document control, internal audits, management reviews, nonconforming work, complaints, corrective action, impartiality, confidentiality, and continual improvement.
• Maintain proficiency testing, quality indicators, and objective evidence demonstrating the ongoing suitability and effectiveness of the accredited scope.

Technical Leadership - Meat Microbiology & Chemistry

• Provide technical oversight for meat and poultry sample receipt, preparation, microbiology and chemistry testing, result review, and reporting.
• Ensure methods are fit for use through appropriate selection, verification, validation, quality controls, measurement traceability, equipment control, and evaluation of uncertainty where applicable.
• Authorize defensible results and lead technical investigations, method troubleshooting, technology evaluation, and support for plant and enterprise needs.

People Leadership & Laboratory Operations

• Coach laboratory members and maintain documented training, competency assessment, authorization, cross-training, and succession coverage for critical responsibilities.
• Direct staffing, workflow, sample custody, testing schedules, safety, supplies, budgets, capital planning, service providers, and laboratory capacity.
• Maintain LIMS data integrity and use trends, statistical analysis, and process improvement to strengthen reliability, turnaround time, and cost effectiveness.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Technical Influence

• Serve as the laboratory technical representative with FSQ, Operations, Sanitation, R&D, Regulatory, Engineering, Supply Chain, suppliers, and co-manufacturers.
• Translate microbiology and chemistry results, trends, capabilities, limitations, and emerging risks into clear business context and recommended actions.
• Partner on investigations, validations, startups, process changes, and food safety initiatives while protecting laboratory impartiality and result integrity.
• Proactively align laboratory methods, technology, capacity, and priorities with evolving business needs.

Education

• Bachelor’s in microbiology, food science, meat science, or related science required

Experience

• 7+ years of progressive laboratory experience in food, meat, microbiology, chemistry, or another regulated testing environment, required
• 3+ years of laboratory leadership or supervisory responsibility, required
• Proven success building team capability and leading laboratory operations while balancing quality, service, capacity, and business priorities
• Background working within or implementing an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory, required
• A2LA assessment preparation or participation strongly preferred
• Food or meat microbiology and chemistry testing background, including pathogen, environmental, compositional, and rapid methods, strongly preferred
• Experience with LIMS, data governance, statistical analysis, and Microsoft 365 applications, preferred

Skills

• Strong knowledge of ISO/IEC 17025, accreditation requirements, and audit readiness
• Knowledge of method verification/validation, quality control, proficiency testing, corrective action, equipment and document control, and competency authorization
• Strong scientific judgment and risk-based decision-making
• Ability to translate technical and accreditation requirements into practical, sustainable laboratory processes
• Strong root-cause analysis, problem-solving, and continuous-improvement capabilities
• Effective project management, prioritization, and change leadership
• Strong organization and attention to detail, with the ability to balance daily execution and long-term laboratory strategy
• Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly across laboratory, plant, regulatory, and leadership audiences

Other Requirements

• Travel: Less than 10% of your time

Benefits and Compensation

Members have potential for a monthly bonus and 401k with a company match. Members also have access to terrific benefits including affordable medical, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; disability and life insurance; and fertility and adoption assistance. Johnsonville also offers competitive paid time off, including paid parental time off, as well as access to the 24/7 onsite fitness center, and onsite medical clinic! Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

Applicants must be eligible to work in the country where this job is located, without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

About our Company

Since 1945, our family-owned band of sausage-makers has invented better ways to make, eat and prepare crave-able sausage. Today, we are 4,000+ Members strong. We sell our famous sausage in all 50 United States and more than 40 countries. We have a culture built on the idea that if we make developing your talents our top priority, great business results will follow naturally. We call it The Johnsonville Way. It has been our secret sauce for decades, and we hope you get to experience it for yourself!

Johnsonville is an equal opportunity employer, including Vet/Disability.

We embrace the principles of Equal Opportunity Employment and do not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including protected veteran and disability status.

Our culture, called the Johnsonville Way, guides the way we behave, operate and treat one another. We truly believe that here at Johnsonville, we have a moral responsibility to create and maintain an environment that requires each Member to fully develop their God-given talents and help others to do the same. We achieve this by living the Johnsonville Way.

Our owner is famous for saying that, "Other companies use their people to build a business, but at Johnsonville, we use the business to build our people." We are proud to offer endless opportunities for continued learning and growth here at Johnsonville.

Nearest Major Market: Sheboygan
Nearest Secondary Market: Green Bay

Johnsonville is an equal opportunity employer, including Vet/Disability. We embrace the principles of Equal Opportunity Employment and do not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including protected veteran and disability status.