Lead Microbiologist, Food Safety Lab Leadership

Placements24; Riverton (UT); On-site; USD 36,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement fund contributions

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 in Upington, Northern Cape seeks a Senior Microbiologist to lead the food safety laboratory operations and oversee testing, validation of methods and regulatory compliance.

The role demands a strong microbiology background, leadership, and hands-on experience with PCR/ELISA, HACCP/ISO 22000, and mentoring staff in a high-throughput lab.

You will drive quality, manage budgets, and collaborate with R&D, QA and production to ensure product safety.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Microbiology with a specialization in food microbiology.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in food microbiology, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or senior role.
• Experience with culture-based methods, rapid detection systems, and pathogen identification.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all microbiological testing activities in the food safety laboratory.
• Develop, validate and implement microbiological testing methods for raw materials, in-process samples and finished products.
• Conduct risk assessments and develop preventative strategies for microbial contamination.
• Interpret and report on microbiological test results for management and production teams.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, ISO 22000 and internal quality standards.
• Manage laboratory resources including equipment, supplies and budgets.
• Train, supervise and mentor junior microbiologists and technicians.
• Investigate product holds, recalls and customer complaints related to microbiological issues.
• Stay current with advancements in food microbiology and regulatory changes.
• Collaborate with R&D, QA and production to ensure product integrity.

Skills

Microbiology

Food safety

PCR ELISA

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Data analysis

Project management

Education

Master's degree in Microbiology

PhD in Microbiology

Tools

PCR

ELISA

Rapid detection systems

Job description

Placements24 in Upington, Northern Cape seeks a Senior Microbiologist to lead the food safety laboratory operations and oversee testing, validation of methods and regulatory compliance.

The role demands a strong microbiology background, leadership, and hands-on experience with PCR/ELISA, HACCP/ISO 22000, and mentoring staff in a high-throughput lab.

You will drive quality, manage budgets, and collaborate with R&D, QA and production to ensure product safety.