Impress employers and recruiters.
Choose from hundreds of resume examples.
Impress employers and recruiters.
Choose from hundreds of resume examples.
Target Resume Now
Tailor your resume to this Lead Microbiology Lab Tech role.
Rezi rewrites your resume against Certified Group's job description. Free.
Tailor your resume to this Lead Microbiology Lab Tech role.
Rezi rewrites your resume against Certified Group's job description. Free.
Don't guess if your resume is good enough.
See how it scores against the Lead Microbiology Lab Tech posting at Certified Group — free, in seconds.
Don't guess if your resume is good enough.
See how it scores against the Lead Microbiology Lab Tech posting at Certified Group — free, in seconds.
About the Role
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, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant laboratory testing while promoting operational efficiency, data integrity, safety, and continuous improvement.
Responsibilities
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Requirements
- 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.
Skills
- Microbiological testing
- Pathogen and indicator organism analyses
- Method interpretation
- Instrumentation troubleshooting
- Data review and verification
- Method implementation, validation, and verification
- Aseptic techniques
- Data integrity practices
- Laboratory safety standards
- Workflow coordination
- Sample prioritization
- Quality systems
- Food safety microbiology
- Environmental monitoring programs
- Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS)
Location
- North America
- Europe
Work Type
- Full-time
Experience Level
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in a microbiology testing laboratory
- Lead or senior-level capacity
Education Level
- Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Microbiology, Biology, Food Science, or related scientific field
Salary/Compensations
- $23—$26 USD
About the Company
- Certified Group is committed to partnering with customers to deliver innovative scientific solutions and expertise – So The World Can Trust In What It Consumes™.
- Our network of 30+ North American and European laboratories serves the food & beverage, dietary supplements, cosmetics, OTC, tobacco/nicotine, cannabis, and hemp industries.
- Certified Group is comprised of a set of specialized brands that collectively deliver laboratory testing, regulatory consulting, and certification & audit services across highly regulated industries:
- Certified Laboratories – Provides comprehensive analytical and microbiological testing, primarily supporting food, beverage, cosmetics, OTC, and dietary supplement industries.
- Food Safety Net Services (FSNS) – A leading network of ISO-accredited laboratories across North America, focused on food safety testing, operational support, and technical services for the food industry.
- Labstat – A global leader in contract research and testing for nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, hemp, and next-generation products, with deep expertise in analytical chemistry and toxicology.
- EAS Consulting Group – A regulatory consulting firm offering expert guidance, training, and auditing support across FDA, USDA, and other regulated sectors, powered by a large network of independent advisors.
- FSNS Certification & Audit – Provides accredited third-party auditing and certification services, including food safety, animal welfare, and GMP programs.
Equal Opportunity
- We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and make employment decisions without regard to protected characteristics under applicable law.