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Purpose of the job
• Act as the microbiological subject matter expert to safeguard food safety and product quality by ensuring effective microbiological and hygiene control across the brewery.
• Prevent microbiological and hygiene related quality issues by validating and verifying the effectiveness of process controls, sanitation programmes and environmental conditions.
• Support and enable Production and supporting functions to maintain stable, capable and well controlled processes, using data driven microbiological and hygiene insights.
• Drive continuous improvement of laboratory processes by implementing and sustaining corrective actions across microbiological domains (e.g., ISO 9001, LSS, TPM).
• Provide specialist governance and coordination for hygiene critical activities at site level.
Key Responsibilities
SAFETY, FOOD SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY
• Maintain a safe and compliant working environment within the laboratory and production areas, in line with SHE, food safety and hygiene standards.
• Identify, assess and escalate microbiological, hygiene and food safety risks, and support timely closure of corrective and preventive actions.
• Promote food safety and hygiene awareness across Production, Packaging and Utilities.
• Support compliance with relevant quality, food safety and environmental standards.
QUALITY OF ANALYSES
• Perform and oversee microbiological analyses in accordance with approved sampling plans, methods and Heineken laboratory standards.
• Ensure accurate, reliable and timely reporting of microbiological results to support operational decision making.
• Maintain microbiological QA systems to ensure first time right analysis and trend based risk identification.
• Interpret microbiological and environmental monitoring data to identify deviations, trends and improvement opportunities.
MICROBIOLOGICAL PROCESS CONTROL, TPM AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
• Conduct internal assessments of the plants’ Quality Management System through ICC and HOC evaluations and drive closure of findings.
• Assess process capability related to microbiological and hygiene control and determine the ability of processes to meet defined performance requirements.
• Identify microbiological risks and systemic failures and drive corrective and preventive actions.
• Support and contribute to TPM, PQ and UPS improvement teams with microbiological and hygiene expertise.
• Analyse and trend microbiological and hygiene related data and initiate improvement actions
• Lead or support specific microbiological and hygiene related improvement projects.
EXECUTION OF ANALYSES
• Perform microbiological analyses, including sampling, preparation and reporting, in accordance with approved laboratory methods and schedules.
HYGIENE GOVERNANCE AND SERVICE PROVIDER MANAGEMENT
• Provide site level governance and specialist oversight for hygiene critical service providers, including:
o Cleaning & Disinfectant (C&D) suppliers
o Pest Control service providers
o Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) supplier
• Define, review and maintain microbiological and hygiene requirements, specifications and standards applicable to service providers.
• Verify effective implementation of cleaning, sanitation and pest control programmes through audits, inspections, validation and verification activities.
• Review service provider performance against agreed hygiene critical KPIs and service levels, and drive corrective actions where required.
• Support trials, optimisation and continuous improvement of cleaning chemicals, sanitation methods and pest control strategies to ensure effective hygiene control.
• Ensure hygiene critical service providers are appropriately integrated into site food safety and quality management systems, including risk assessments, change management and documentation.
LABORATORY AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
• Maintain the microbiological laboratory to a professional standard in line with Heineken requirements.
• Ensure microbiological equipment and facilities are maintained, calibrated and fit for purpose.
• Ensure compliance with laboratory best practices, safety standards and calibration schedules.
MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION AND REPORTING
• Maintain microbiological and hygiene related data in relevant laboratory and quality information systems.
• Analyse, interpret and report microbiological, environmental and hygiene related data.
• Provide clear, actionable reporting to support food safety, process stability and quality performance.
• Document trial outcomes, investigations and improvement actions.
PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT AND CAPABILITY BUILDING
• Support the development of Brewing, Packaging and Utilities teams in microbiological control, basic hygiene and food safety principles.
• Coach and support operators and technicians in microbiological awareness and hygiene best practices.
• Participate in performance discussions related to microbiological control and hygiene risks.
• Facilitate problem solving sessions and provide technical input to support decision making.
• Communicate and support implementation of new standards and removal of redundant practices.
• Promote personal development and continuous improvement in functional and behavioral competencies, including knowledge sharing and reapplication.
• Build own expertise and share knowledge and skills to enhance team performance, consistency and effectiveness
Job Requirements
Education
Tertiary Qualification: National Diploma, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Microbiology or Chemical Engineering.
Experience
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in microbiological, quality or food safety roles, preferably within the brewing or food manufacturing environment.
• Microbiological process control and environmental monitoring
• Hygiene and food safety management systems
• TPM / PQ / Lean / Six Sigma methodologies
• Supplier and service provider governance related to hygiene and food safety
• Brewing, Packaging and/or Utilities exposure
Closing date: 12 June 2026