Microbiologist - Beverage Industry

Job description

Responsible for conducting microbiological testing on raw materials, water, production environments, and finished products to ensure compliance with food safety and quality standards. The role includes detecting microbial contamination, maintaining laboratory quality systems, and supporting production teams with microbiological investigations. Key responsibilities: perform microbiological analysis on raw materials, processing water, environmental samples, and finished beverage or powder products; detect and identify spoilage microorganisms including yeasts, molds, bacteria, and foodborne pathogens; conduct routine environmental monitoring via surface swabs, air sampling, and sanitation verification; evaluate effectiveness of cleaning and sanitation programs, including Clean-In-Place (CIP) systems; isolate, identify, and quantify microbial contaminants using standard techniques; investigate contamination sources and support root cause analysis for microbiological deviations; maintain accurate laboratory records, microbiological reports, and Certificates of Analysis; ensure compliance with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), biosafety procedures, and laboratory quality standards; monitor and calibrate laboratory equipment such as incubators, autoclaves, and other microbiological instruments; perform quality control checks on culture media and laboratory reagents; collaborate with QA/QC and Production teams to investigate product spoilage, contamination incidents, and out-of-specification results; report microbiological deviations promptly and support product hold and corrective action procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Microbiology, Food Microbiology, Biotechnology, Food Science, or related field
• Minimum 3 years of experience as a Microbiologist within the Food & Beverage Manufacturing industry
• Hands‑on experience in microbiological testing of beverages, food products, raw materials, and processing water
• Strong knowledge of microbiological analysis techniques, pathogen detection, and environmental monitoring
• Familiarity with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), GMP, HACCP, ISO 22000, and food safety regulations
• Experience using laboratory equipment such as incubators, autoclaves, microscopes, and microbiological testing instruments
• Strong analytical, documentation, and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to investigate contamination events and support corrective and preventive actions (CAPA)
• Preferred experience in beverage, juice, dairy, or powdered food manufacturing
• Knowledge of Clean‑In‑Place (CIP) validation and environmental hygiene monitoring
• Familiarity with microbiological Certificates of Analysis (COAs) and Out‑of‑Specification (OOS) investigations
• Exposure to shelf‑life studies and food safety management systems.

Skills