Lead Microbiologist, Food Safety & Quality Assurance

Meijer Inc.; Springfield (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay

Scheduling flexibility

Paid parental leave

Paid education assistance

Team member discount

Development programs for advancement

Job summary

Meijer Inc. is seeking a microbiology leader to guide programs ensuring product safety, quality, and regulatory compliance across its manufacturing facilities.

You will develop, standardize, and validate microbiological protocols and partner with operations, product development, and regulatory teams to implement best-in-class sampling and testing procedures. You will collaborate with Quality Managers and cross-functional stakeholders to sustain enterprise environmental monitoring, risk

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or M.S. in Microbiology, Food Safety, or related field.
• 8+ years of relevant microbiology experience in food/beverage manufacturing facilities.
• Experience in multi-site organizations preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of FSMA, HACCP, environmental monitoring programs, and pathogen control.
• Expertise in foodborne pathogens (e.g. Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli).
• Proficiency in microbiological testing methods (culture-based, OCR, rapid methods).
• Strong data interpretation and statistical trend analysis capabilities.
• Risk assessment and validation expertise
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with cross-functional stakeholders
• Preferred experience in ready to eat foods (RTE) and high risk categories.
• PCQI and HACCP Certification preferred.
• Travel 25-40%

Responsibilities

• Partner with site Quality Managers and Operations Leaders to ensure each site food safety program is current, effective, and managed at the site level.
• Develop and maintain corporate microbiological standards, policies, and procedures.
• Establish enterprise-wide environmental monitoring programs (EMP) aligned with regulatory expectations and industry best practices.
• Lead root cause investigations and troubleshooting for presumptive positive pathogen findings and recommend corrective actions.
• Oversee trend analysis of microbiological data and drive risk based decision making.
• Lead microbial risk assessments for ingredients, processes, and finished products.
• Standardize test methods, specifications, and validation protocols across all facilities.
• Serve as subject matter expert (SME) for microbiological compliance under applicable regulations (FDA, USDA, as applicable).
• Support FSMA preventive controls validation and verification activities.
• Assist with regulatory responses related to spoilage or microbial activity.
• Provide technical oversight to internal and third party laboratories.
• Evaluate and approve laboratory methods, validation studies, and rapid testing techniques.
• Review and interpret routine microbial sampling from manufacturing sites.
• Lead microbiological investigations where applicable during food safety incidents or recalls.
• Provide scientific guidance during product disposition decisions when necessary.
• Identify emerging microbiological risks and industry trends.
• Implement new technologies and methods to enhance detection and prevention.
• Train manufacturing team members on microbiological related best practices and risk mitigation (sampling and testing).
• Partner with site Quality Managers in troubleshooting microbial issues.

Skills

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Trend analysis

Risk assessment

Travel

Education

Ph.D. or M.S. in Microbiology or related fields

Job description

Meijer Inc. is seeking a microbiology leader to guide programs ensuring product safety, quality, and regulatory compliance across its manufacturing facilities.

You will develop, standardize, and validate microbiological protocols and partner with operations, product development, and regulatory teams to implement best-in-class sampling and testing procedures. You will collaborate with Quality Managers and cross-functional stakeholders to sustain enterprise environmental monitoring, risk