Laboratory Manager

POSITION SUMMARY

The Laboratory Manager leads the daily operation, technical capability, and continuous improvement of South Chicago Packing’s quality laboratory. This role ensures testing, methods, equipment, records, employee qualifications, and product-release support are accurate, reliable, and timely. The manager partners with FSQA, Operations, Maintenance, Growth & Innovation, Procurement, and external laboratories to resolve issues, strengthen laboratory systems, and support safe, compliant products.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Laboratory Operations & Team Leadership

• Plan daily laboratory workload, staffing, schedules, priorities, timecard administration, vacation coverage, and escalation of testing or product-release risks.

• Lead, coach, and develop laboratory employees. Maintain role qualifications, training records, annual competency assessments, and practical development plans.

• Maintain laboratory procedures, records, sample-retention practices, housekeeping, and audit readiness.

• Manage laboratory supplies, inventory, service needs, purchasing, and the annual laboratory budget.

Testing, Methods, Equipment & Data

• Oversee laboratory testing and product-release support, including review of results, certificates of analysis, out-of-specification findings, and timely escalation of nonconforming results.

• Own calibration, verification, maintenance, repair coordination, and service records for laboratory and designated plant testing equipment.

• Lead the development, validation, verification, implementation, and improvement of laboratory methods, process validations, critical control point validations, and testing for new processing equipment.

• Maintain the laboratory information management system (LIMS) and related data controls. Monitor trends, key performance indicators, and recurring issues, and recommend preventive action.

• Support product specifications, product-development testing, commercialization, and the definition of critical chemical and physical product attributes.

Laboratory Quality Systems & Technical Support

• Lead Good Laboratory Practices and align laboratory systems with applicable ISO/IEC 17025 principles, including document and method control, traceability, proficiency, and corrective action.

• Investigate laboratory deviations and out-of-specification results. Lead or support root cause analysis and corrective and preventive action with the appropriate teams.

• Coordinate external laboratory testing and evaluate external laboratory service, performance, results, and documentation.

• Provide technical support for customer complaints, production or material issues, projects, audits, and significant quality or food-safety events.

• Communicate technical and analytical information clearly to employees, leaders, auditors, customers, suppliers, and cross-functional partners.

• Perform additional duties as assigned to support team and company objectives.

Company & Management Responsibilities

• Directly supervises laboratory personnel and is responsible for work assignment, scheduling, training, qualification, coaching, performance management, and development within the laboratory function.

• Promote safe work, food safety, quality, teamwork, and continuous improvement in the laboratory and production environment.

• Assign work and provide clear expectations, coaching, performance feedback, development, and accountability for laboratory personnel.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, food science, biological science, or a related scientific field.

• At least five years of progressively responsible laboratory, analytical, quality-control, or research experience, including demonstrated leadership responsibility. Food-manufacturing experience is strongly preferred.

• Working knowledge of analytical chemistry, laboratory testing, method validation or verification, calibration, equipment qualification, data integrity, and out-of-specification investigations.

• Experience maintaining laboratory procedures, employee training and qualification, Good Laboratory Practices, and corrective and preventive action systems.

• Working knowledge of food-manufacturing quality systems, Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP, product specifications, product release, and audit requirements.

• Experience using LIMS or a comparable laboratory data system, Microsoft Office, and electronic quality or document-management systems.

• Clear written and verbal communication and the ability to make sound, risk-based decisions in complex situations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in a food, fats and oils, ingredients, or related manufacturing laboratory.

• Experience supporting ISO/IEC 17025-aligned laboratory systems, external laboratory management, and laboratory audits.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Technical judgment: Evaluates methods, evidence, and product risk to reach sound conclusions and escalate concerns appropriately.

• Attention to detail: Reviews data, records, equipment, and systems carefully to identify issues that could affect accuracy or reliability.

• Communication: Explains technical information clearly, listens well, and builds productive working relationships.

• People leadership: Builds capability through clear direction, training, coaching, accountability, and development.

• Priority management: Organizes people, testing, time, and resources based on product risk, operational need, and business impact.

• Continuous improvement: Uses trends, measures, and root cause analysis to strengthen laboratory performance and prevent recurrence.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is regularly performed in laboratory and production areas and may involve standing, walking, bending, wearing required personal protective equipment, following GMP requirements, exposure to variable noise and temperatures, handling laboratory materials, and occasional lifting. Specific lifting limits and frequency should be confirmed through the applicable physical-demands review. Reasonable accommodations will be considered consistent with applicable law and Company policy.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY & JOB DESCRIPTION NOTICE

Miniat & South Chicago Packing are committed to equal employment opportunities and reasonable accommodations consistent with applicable law and Company policy. This description summarizes the general nature and level of work and is not an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Responsibilities may change based on business needs.

Benefits for this role include: Medical, vision, dental, discretionary bonus up to 15% (50% personal performance based & 50% company performance), 401(k) with matching up to a max of 4% and 120 hours PTO in the 1st 12 months.