Corporate Microbiologist

As a family company, we serve people and communities. When you work at Meijer, you’re provided with career and community opportunities centered around leadership, personal growth and development. Consider joining our family – take care of your career and your community!

Meijer Rewards

• Weekly pay

• Scheduling flexibility

• Paid parental leave

• Paid education assistance

• Team member discount

• Development programs for advancement and career growth

Please review the job profile below and apply today!

Reporting to Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance, this position provides scientific leadership in microbiology as relates to food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance. This position will support all Meijer Manufacturing facilities. This role is responsible for developing, standardizing, and validating microbiological programs to ensure product safety and quality, regulatory compliance, and brand protection. This position partners cross functionally with Operations, Product Development, Regulatory Compliance, Supply Chain, Food Safety, and external laboratories to implement best in class sampling and testing procedures.

What You'll Be Doing :

• Partner withsite Quality Managers and Operations Leaders to ensureeachsitefood safety program iscurrent, effective, and managed at the site level.

• Develop andmaintaincorporate microbiological standards, policies, and procedures.

• Establish enterprise-wide environmental monitoring programs (EMP)aligned with regulatory expectations and industrybest practices.

• Lead root cause investigations and troubleshooting for presumptive positive pathogenfindings and recommend corrective actions.

• Oversee trend analysis of microbiological data and driverisk baseddecision making.

• Lead microbial risk assessments for ingredients, processes, and finished products.

• Standardize test methods, specifications, and validation protocols across all facilities.

• Serveas subjectmatter expert (SME) for microbiological complianceunder applicable regulations (FDA, USDA, as applicable).

• Support FSMA preventive controls validation and verification activities.

• Assistwithregulatory responses related to spoilage or microbial activity.

• Provide technical oversight to internal andthird partylaboratories.

• Evaluate and approve laboratory methods, validation studies, and rapid testing techniques.

• Review and interpret

• Lead microbiological investigationswhere applicable during food safety incidents or recalls.

• Providescientific guidance during product disposition decisions when necessary.

• Identifyemerging microbiological risks and industry trends.

• Implementnew technologiesand methods to enhance detection and prevention.

• Train manufacturing team members on microbiologicalrelated best practices and risk mitigation (samplingand testing).

• Partner withsite Quality Managers in troubleshooting microbialissues.

What You Bring with You (Qualifications):

• Ph.Dor M.S.degree inMicrobiology, Food Safety, or related fields 

• Experience - functional/industry/commercial knowledge:

• 8+years of relevantmicrobiologyexperienceinthe Food/Beveragemanufacturing facilities 

• Experience in multi-siteorganizations preferred.

• Strong working knowledge of FSMA, HACCP, environmental monitoring programs, and pathogen control.

• Expertisein foodborne pathogens (e.g.Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes,E.coli).

• Proficiencyin microbiological testing methods (culture- based,OCR, rapids methods).

• Strong data interpretation and statistical trend analysis capabilities.

• Risk assessment and validationexpertise

• Strong communicationskills

• Ability tocollaborate and communicate with cross-functional stakeholders

• Preferred experiencein ready to eat foods (RTE) andhigh riskcategories.

• PCQIand HACCPCertificationpreferred.

• Travel25-40%

We opened our doors more than 90 years ago with the goal of helping people provide for themselves and their family. Today we’re a multi-billion dollar retailer with more than 70,000 employees across six states. Our Midwest geography includes corporate offices in Grand Rapids, Michigan, plus manufacturing facilities, distribution centers and over 270 stores across Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Meijer is an Equal Opportunity Employer, fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are committed to treating all persons with dignity and respect. Meijer's policy is to not discriminate because of any applicant or team member's race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, religion, age, physical or mental disability, uniformed service or veteran status, or any other lawfully-protected classification. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of your application, please click here to submit your request . Submissions that are not seeking help to complete the application due to a disability will not be responded to.