Microbiology Lab Manager

Company Description

At Link Snacks, we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don’t hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago.

We’re everyday people who deliver extraordinary results. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren’t buzzwords, they’re expectations. And just like the real protein snacks we make across our global house of brands—Jack Link’s®, Lorissa’s Kitchen®, Golden Island®, BiFi®, and Peperami® and KOOEE!® to name a few—there’s nothing artificial about us. What you see is exactly what you get: humble, gritty, passionate people who show up every day ready to not just be a participate in the meat snack industry that the Link Family created, but to move faster, innovate harder and keep raising the bar so high, the rest of the world needs a ladder just to see it.

Dominating this space across the world takes a team. A team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together. A team that’s full of relentless energy and spirit that can only be fueled by one thing: a fist full of our delicious meat snacks.

Real Meat Protein. Real People. Real Results. THAT is Link Snacks.

Job Description

Position Summary

The Microbiology Lab Manager is responsible for leading the facility’s microbiological testing, environmental monitoring, and pathogen control programs to ensure product safety and regulatory compliance.

This role is critical in protecting Ready-to-Eat (RTE) products by proactively identifying and controlling biological risks, including pathogens such as Listeria spp., Salmonella, and other environmental contaminants.

This role serves as the technical expert on biological contamination risk, providing actionable insights to prevent contamination events and strengthen sanitation and zoning effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) Ownership

• Design and manage EMP across:
  • Zones 1–4
• Determine:
  • Sampling locations
  • Frequency
  • Expansion strategies after positives
• Focus on:
  • Listeria spp.
  • Indicator organisms

Microbiological Testing & Lab Operations

• Oversee:
  • Product testing
  • Environmental swabbing
  • Water testing
• Ensure:
  • Lab accuracy and reliability
  • Equipment calibration and validation
• Maintain proper documentation and compliance

Pathogen Detection & Control Strategy

• Identify:
  • Harborage points
  • Recurring contamination areas
• Provide recommendations to:
  • Sanitation
  • FSQ
  • Operations

Data Analysis & Risk Identification

• Analyze micro data trends
• Identify:
  • Hotspots
  • Recurring risks
• Provide actionable insights—not just reports

Response to Environmental Positives

• Lead structured response to:
  • Listeria positives
• Ensure:
  • Root cause analysis
  • Deep cleaning and validation
  • Expanded sampling

Sanitation Validation Support

• Validate effectiveness through:
  • Swab data
  • ATP trends
• Identify weaknesses in sanitation execution

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with:
  • FSQ RTE Manager → contamination control
  • FSQ Raw Manager → upstream risk
  • Operations → implementation of fixes

Key Performance Metrics

• Environmental positive rate (e.g., Listeria)
• Repeat positives / harborage events
• Product microbiological compliance
• Time to resolution for positives
• EMP compliance rate
• Audit performance (micro-related findings)

Experience

• 5–10+ years in:
  • Food manufacturing microbiology or QA
• Strong experience with:
  • RTE food environments (highly preferred)
  • USDA-regulated facilities
  • Environmental monitoring programs

Technical Skills

• Expertise in:
  • Listeria control strategies
  • Environmental sampling methods
  • Pathogen testing protocols
• Familiarity with:
  • ATP systems
  • Rapid micro testing technologies
• Understanding of:
  • Hygienic design principles
  • Sanitation chemistry

Leadership Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
• Ability to influence across functions (Ops, Sanitation, QA)
• Detail-oriented with strong data discipline
• High accountability and urgency in risk management

Critical Success Factors

This role will be successful if the individual can:

• Identify and eliminate: Hidden contamination sources (especially drains, niches, and traffic flow risks)
• Transform the plant from: Reactive testing → proactive risk prevention
• Build: A highly effective, data-driven environmental monitoring system
• Strengthen: Sanitation validation and zoning discipline

Why This Role Matters

This role is the facility’s primary defense against biological contamination risk

In this environment (RTE + current zoning/sanitation gaps), this position is:

• Mission-critical for regulatory compliance
• Essential for preventing contamination events
• A key partner in stabilizing food safety performance

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the team member is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel and talk or hear. The team member is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet/slippery floors. However, the vast amount of work is conducted in a climate-controlled building. Limited travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in:
  • Microbiology, Food Science, Biology, or related field
• Advanced degree (preferred)

Additional Information

The salary range for this role is $90,000- $110,000 (Annually).  Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Jack Link’s Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Jack Link’s provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.

Disclaimer:

This job description is intended to generally describe the nature and level of work to be performed by employees in this position. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and skills required of employees performing this role.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
Jack Link’s provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.

E-VERIFY:
Jack Link’s is a participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees.  For information about the E-Verify program, please visit:  http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employeesAll your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.