Micro Lab Technician - Day Shift

Michael Foods; Gaylord (MN); On-site; USD 27,304 - 39,578; Full time

Job summary

Michael Foods in Gaylord, Minnesota, is hiring for a role focused on media preparation and quality control in the laboratory. This position involves preparing media, conducting sterility testing, analyzing microbiological results, and ensuring compliance with safety standards.

No formal education is required, but candidates with one year of college or technical training are preferred. The pay range is competitive at $19.82 to $28.73 per hour. The role supports a safe workplace while adhering to rigorous quality standards.

Qualifications

• Ability to read and interpret safety rules, operating instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Proficiency in writing routine reports and correspondence.
• Strong arithmetic ability and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepare media and pre-poured plates.
• Conduct sterility testing and document results.
• Analyze microbiological results and report safety concerns.

Skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Computer proficiency

Arithmetic ability

Education

One year of college, technical school, or equivalent training

Job description

Location

Michael Foods, Inc. is located in Gaylord, Minnesota, the county seat of Sibley County. The facility produces liquid egg, hard‑cook egg, and precooked egg products such as scrambled eggs, patties, and omelets. Gaylord is about an hour west of the Twin Cities and 35 minutes from Mankato, Hutchinson, and New Ulm.

Responsibilities

Hours: 6:00 am – 2:30 pm Monday‑Friday (rotational weekends)

The role is responsible for media preparation and quality control in the laboratory, including:

• Preparing media and pre‑poured plates.
• Managing supplies inventory, receiving, and ordering (SAP knowledge).
• Performing daily temperature checks on incubators and water baths.
• Conducting sterility testing and documenting sterilizer runs.
• Monitoring media pH, calibrating pH meters and thermometers.
• Transferring media for rapid tests, plating raw materials, swabs, and sponges.
• Running rapid tests (e.g., gene‑trak).
• Entering data into the computer system and maintaining records.
• Executing temperature abuse procedures.
• Analyzing microbiological results for out‑of‑specification conditions and holding or releasing product for shipment based on those results.
• Reporting safety or quality concerns to management.
• Maintaining a safe and healthy work environment in accordance with safety policies, mandatory GMPs, and sanitary procedures.
• Performing duties mandated by mandatory food safety and quality standards.

Qualifications

Education and Experience Required: None required.

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills:

• One year of college, technical school, or equivalent training or experience.
• Ability to read and interpret safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Proficiency in writing routine reports and correspondence.
• Communication skills for speaking before groups, customers, vendors, or employees.
• Strong arithmetic ability, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and the ability to compute rates, ratios, and percentages, and to interpret bar graphs.
• Common‑sense problem‑solving skills for instruction execution, both written and oral.
• Proficiency with computers, spreadsheets, and word‑processing software.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $19.82 to $28.73 per hour.