Microbiologist

Microbiologist

 Operations Accountable for operation of own work area or as a member of a team, as well as for quality, standards and outputs within defined work routines and policies. 

Job Purpose 

To conduct microbiological sampling and analysis throughout the production process. 

Key Accountabilities and Outputs Aseptic Sampling

 • Treated water, ingredients, final syrups and final products 

• Swabs 

• Air plates Analysis 

 • Treated water, ingredients, final syrups and final products 

 • Swabs

 • Air 

 • Product Shelf Life Analysis 

 • Performs secondary confirmation tests 

 • Incubation of analysed samples

 • Sub culturing of live bacteria cultures Documentation and Record Keeping

 • Interpretation of results

 • Recording of results 

 • Generates Trends for micro results General Reporting

 • Raises any out of spec result with Quality Manager 

• Issues isolation/ release instructions to the DC in consultation with Quality Manager 

 • Reports any faulty equipment to Quality Manager 

• Raises any emerging trends that might have potential food safety risks

 • Trouble shooting/investigations on ingredients, environmental or processing risk related issues 

• Enforces Good Lab Practices 

• Enforce Food Safety Requirements

 • Monthly Reports for Internal and External Results Adherence to the Quality, Food Safety, Health, Safety and Environmental Standards 

 • Adherence to Standards: Ensure strict adherence to Quality, Food, Health, Safety and Environmental policies and standards. 

• Enforcement: Enforce all food safety and health regulations, policies, and requirements at all times to guarantee a secure work environment

• Personal Hygiene: Maintain exceptional personal hygiene as per the organization’s code of conduct. • Contamination Control: Raise awareness about potential physical product contamination and implement control measures to prevent it. • Health and Safety Measures: Take reasonable precautions to prevent health and safety hazards. Follow the prescribed incident reporting procedure in case of accidents. • Knowledge and Compliance: Stay updated with relevant business information, policies, processes, and procedures. Enforce compliance with legislative and statutory requirements, as well as GMP’s (Good Manufacturing Practices). • Training: Attend and enforce the implementation of learnings from training sessions related to Quality, Food Safety, and Health and Safety. • Housekeeping: Maintain high levels of cleanliness and orderliness within the work environment.

 General 

 • Responsible to ensure housekeeping is performed and ensure that all products and activities are stored and are executed within the demarcated areas according to the housekeeping policy (green red and yellow areas) • Conversant with relevant business information, policies, processes and procedures • Maintains expected performance standards • While Job Descriptions are written up for the purpose of a basic outline of the work and responsibilities associated with the Job, the Company encourages and expects all employees from time to time, to assist with work that may not be a direct part of their job description

Qualifications and Experience • National Diploma / NQF 6 in Food (Essential) • Upto 3 years experience (Operational Execution) Technical, FMCG • Basic MS Excel; MS Word; E Mail

 Key Qualities Communication 

• Routine communication in connection with instructions, requests or normal work tasks

 Problem Solving 

• Proactive identification of problems that are concrete and procedural, troubleshoot and apply solutions in line with guidelines provided or escalate more complex problems to superiors, providing information required to solve problems. 

Relationships Maintained 

• Others outside of own work area but inside the organisation

Behavioural Competencies 

Verbal Communication 

• Able to communicate verbally in a logical manner. • Takes the intended audience into account when communicating verbal information. • Makes use of appropriate business language in verbal communication. • Includes all relevant information in verbal arguments. • Demonstrates proficiency of language in verbal communication. • Interprets complex information to expresses own viewpoint in verbal communication. • Concludes verbal arguments by making reference to relevant facts 

Decision Making • Organises information to make it easier to analyse or see trends. • Anticipates consequences and formulates alternatives. • Establishes clear decision criteria for making informed choices. • Seeks relevant information to better understand situations and problems. • Conducts appropriate analysis; neither makes snap decisions or over-analyses. • Sees relationships between various facts, figures or other information. Continuous Improvement • Increases performance expectations when success has been achieved • Seeks out sources of information, including trade associations, “best practice” companies, customers, peers, subordinates, etc. • Finds ways to fast-adapt improvement ideas to work processes • Proactively seeks out resources, alliances, etc., needed to quickly introduce improvements Collaboration • Helps others with their work. • Meets commitments to team members or others in the organisation. • Actively contributes to team discussions and the accomplishment of team work plans. • Shares expertise and resources to help others address their needs. • Seeks to include all those who can contribute to the most successful outcome and those who have a stake in the results. • Actively keeps all stakeholders informed. • Attempts to reinvigorate team processes when progress is lagging: stays engaged even when not in full agreement with the team’s direction. Accountability • Accomplishes assigned tasks and goals: takes necessary actions to keep progress against objectives on track and prepares a roadmap for success. • Ensures that all who need to know, are clear about the plan. • Takes full responsibility for own actions and outcomes, including mistakes. • Always acts in the company’s best interest, regardless of whether it is difficult or unpopular. • Ensures others are on track for achieving their goals