Senior Microbiologist – Fermentation & Process Lead

ADP, Inc.; Solon (OH); On-site; USD 68,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision Benefits

401(k) with Company Match

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Volunteer Hours

Floating Holidays

Tuition Assistance

Job summary

Locus Fermentation Solutions in Solon, OH is seeking a Lead Microbiologist to serve as the technical leader for microbiology and fermentation in production. You will manage and mentor a team, ensure product quality, and drive robust microbiological and documentation standards.

You will partner across Quality Control, R&D, and Operations to troubleshoot issues, scale processes, and implement continuous improvements while maintaining regulatory compliance and training programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Microbiology, Biology, or related field required.
• 5–8+ years in Microbiology, Fermentation, or biomanufacturing.
• 2+ years of leadership experience.
• Deep technical expertise in fermentation, aseptic technique, and contamination prevention.
• Experience leading troubleshooting and implementing process/ equipment solutions.
• Design/validate microbial testing protocols and production processes.
• Strong data analysis for trend identification and decision making.
• Experience with SOP and batch record development and audits.
• Cross-functional collaboration with R&D, Quality, and Operations.
• ERP experience (NetSuite or similar) preferred and pilot-scale biomanufacturing a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own fermentation leadership and supervise microbiologists to meet Solon production goals.
• Lead upstream material prep, blending, and fermentation optimization for agricultural products.
• Drive process improvements, root cause analysis, and permanent corrective actions.
• Design experiments to improve yield, consistency, and efficiency.
• Maintain deviations tracking, documentation, and proper follow-up actions.
• Oversee microbial testing protocols and aseptic technique training.
• Audit processes for SOP compliance and microbiological best practices.
• Partner with Quality Control to ensure testing accuracy and regulatory readiness.
• Mentor and develop Production Microbiologist I and II, building capability.
• Collaborate with R&D and Operations to support scale-up and troubleshooting.

Skills

Leadership

Microbiology

Fermentation

Aseptic technique

Data analysis

SOP development

Regulatory compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Training & mentoring

ERP experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Microbiology or related

Tools

NetSuite ERP

Job description

Locus Fermentation Solutions in Solon, OH is seeking a Lead Microbiologist to serve as the technical leader for microbiology and fermentation in production. You will manage and mentor a team, ensure product quality, and drive robust microbiological and documentation standards.

You will partner across Quality Control, R&D, and Operations to troubleshoot issues, scale processes, and implement continuous improvements while maintaining regulatory compliance and training programs.