Senior Food Safety & Quality Risk Specialist

Mars Incorporated; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 108,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars Incorporated is seeking a Sr. Specialist in Chicago to serve as the central technical authority on allergens, chemical hazards, and foreign materials. You will define risk frameworks, guide sites and co-manufacturers, and ensure product safety across the Accelerator portfolio.

The role requires deep technical expertise, strategic standard-setting, and ability to collaborate across a network without direct authority, plus travel up to 30% to manufacturing sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in a food manufacturing environment focused on quality and food safety.
• HACCP and FSSC 22000 (or similar GFSI) certification required; certified auditor experience preferred.
• Based in the Chicago, IL area; willingness to travel up to 30%.

Responsibilities

• Govern Accelerator Food Safety Standards and related hazard controls; support compliance with FMMS.
• Act as SME for site-level risk assessments and contamination investigations (PRIMPs) and CAPA development.
• Drive continuous improvement in allergen, chemical, and foreign material risk reduction and testing efficiency.
• Lead Division Quality Risk Management activities within Archer; partner on lab test trending and study execution.
• Deploy handheld XRF program across internal sites and develop training to build network-wide expertise.
• Represent the Division in Mars Global Communities of Practice to influence strategy and growth.

Skills

Food safety expertise

Allergen risk assessment

Root-cause analysis

CAPA development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, or related field

Tools

XRF handheld analyzer

Job description

Mars Incorporated is seeking a Sr. Specialist in Chicago to serve as the central technical authority on allergens, chemical hazards, and foreign materials. You will define risk frameworks, guide sites and co-manufacturers, and ensure product safety across the Accelerator portfolio.

The role requires deep technical expertise, strategic standard-setting, and ability to collaborate across a network without direct authority, plus travel up to 30% to manufacturing sites.