Job Summary

The Lab Lead is responsible for coordinating daily laboratory operations and providing technical leadership to support microbiological testing of food products, ingredients, and environmental samples. This role serves as a lead resource for testing activities, workflow coordination, troubleshooting, quality compliance, and staff support during assigned shifts. The Lab Lead ensures accurate, timely, and compliant laboratory testing while promoting operational efficiency, data integrity, safety, and continuous improvement within a fast-paced food testing laboratory environment.

Technical Leadership & Testing

• Perform advanced and non-routine microbiological testing of food products, ingredients, and environmental samples, including pathogen and indicator organism analyses.
• Serve as the primary technical resource and escalation point for testing issues, method interpretation, instrumentation concerns, and troubleshooting activities during assigned shifts.
• Review and verify test data, calculations, and laboratory documentation for accuracy, completeness, and compliance prior to result release.
• Support method implementation, validation, verification, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure laboratory testing activities are conducted in accordance with established SOPs, regulatory requirements, and customer specifications.
• Assist with troubleshooting instrumentation, media performance, and testing deviations to minimize operational disruptions.

Training & Staff Support

• Train, mentor, and provide technical guidance to Microbiology Lab Technician I–III staff on laboratory procedures, testing methods, documentation practices, and quality expectations.
• Reinforce proper aseptic techniques, data integrity practices, and laboratory safety standards.
• Support onboarding and cross-training of new laboratory staff during assigned shifts.
• Foster a collaborative, team-oriented environment focused on accountability, continuous learning, and operational excellence.
• Serve as a resource for laboratory personnel by answering procedural and technical questions in a timely manner.

Workflow & Shift Coordination

• Coordinate daily laboratory workflow, sample prioritization, and testing schedules to ensure turnaround time (TAT) commitments are consistently achieved.
• Monitor staffing coverage, task assignments, and operational efficiency during assigned shifts; escalate staffing or workflow concerns as appropriate.
• Communicate effectively with laboratory leadership and cross-functional departments regarding workload, testing priorities, and operational updates.
• Support team productivity and departmental goals through effective organization, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to laboratory SOPs, food safety requirements, quality systems, and regulatory standards including ISO/IEC 17025, FDA, USDA, and applicable company policies.
• Lead or support investigations involving deviations, nonconformances, out-of-specification (OOS) results, and corrective/preventive actions (CAPAs).
• Support internal and external audits through audit preparation, participation, documentation review, and corrective action follow-up.
• Maintain accurate laboratory records and ensure compliance with data integrity and documentation standards.
• Promote and reinforce a strong culture of safety, quality, compliance, and continuous improvement throughout laboratory operations.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify and recommend opportunities to improve laboratory efficiency, reduce errors, optimize workflows, and enhance testing consistency.
• Provide input on SOP revisions, training materials, quality initiatives, and operational process improvements.
• Partner with laboratory leadership to support operational excellence initiatives, workflow optimization, and continuous improvement projects.
• Support implementation of best practices and standardization efforts across laboratory operations.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Microbiology, Biology, Food Science, or related scientific field required
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a microbiology testing laboratory required; food and beverage testing laboratory experience required.
• Demonstrated experience working within a regulated laboratory environment, including ISO/IEC 17025, FDA, USDA, or equivalent quality systems.
• Proven ability to lead workflow, influence peers, provide technical guidance, and train staff in a lead or senior-level capacity without direct supervisory authority.
• Strong working knowledge of food safety microbiology, pathogen testing methodologies, environmental monitoring programs, and laboratory quality systems.
• Experience with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) preferred.