Laboratory Manager: Meat Microbiology & Quality Lead

Johnsonville Sausage, LLC; Sheboygan Falls (WI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnsonville Sausage, LLC is seeking a Laboratory Coordinator (Manager) to lead our microbiology and chemistry teams, build laboratory capabilities, and drive ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. You will turn technical insights into actionable improvements and partner across the organization to meet business needs.

You will guide accreditation activities, maintain quality systems, and oversee testing operations, training, and continuous improvement to ensure dependable results and efficient processes.

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.
• 3+ years of laboratory leadership or supervisory responsibility.
• Proven experience in an ISO/IEC 17025‑accredited laboratory.
• A2LA assessment preparation or participation strongly preferred.
• Experience with LIMS, data governance, statistics, and Microsoft 365 applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead attainment and maintenance of A2LA accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025, including applications, 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.
• Provide technical oversight for meat microbiology and chemistry testing, result review, and reporting.
• Authorize defensible results and lead investigations, method troubleshooting, technology evaluation, and support for plant and enterprise needs.
• Coach laboratory members and maintain training, competency assessment, authorization, cross-training, and succession planning.
• 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.
• Partner with FSQ, Operations, 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.

Skills

ISO/IEC 17025 knowledge

Accreditation & audit readiness

Laboratory leadership

Quality management systems

LIMS familiarity

Data governance

Statistical analysis

Project management

Communication across teams

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's in microbiology

Bachelor's in food science

Bachelor's in meat science

Related science

Tools

LIMS

Microsoft Excel

Statistical software

Job description

Johnsonville Sausage, LLC is seeking a Laboratory Coordinator (Manager) to lead our microbiology and chemistry teams, build laboratory capabilities, and drive ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. You will turn technical insights into actionable improvements and partner across the organization to meet business needs.

You will guide accreditation activities, maintain quality systems, and oversee testing operations, training, and continuous improvement to ensure dependable results and efficient processes.