Principal Microbiologist

Job Description

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role

Please note this is a full time, fixed term contract starting October 2025 until October 2026. Working Monday to Friday 09:00 - 17:00.

The purpose of the role is to Support food laboratory by providing technical and quality microbiological expertise in all areas. To ensure ownership of and improvements in existing methodologies. To research and implement new technologies to improve the service to our customers. To work with and maintain the laboratory accreditation standard of ISO 17025 and other approval held by the laboratory.

• Support Team Leader in respective areas on a day-to-day basis and step up when absent, ensuring compliance with requirements of ISO 17025: 2017, RSA, BEIC and relevant legislation (when required)
• To help with day-to-day operations in pathogen department
• Responsible for checking transfer of data relating to samples and results and issuing of test reports and confidentiality of information
• To review and implement the technical performance of all aspects of the methods (registration to final reports) on a regular basis
• Familiarisation with accreditation Requirements for UKAS, DWTS and LCA
• To be key in implementing new methods into the lab, owning method validations and method documentation preparation prior to issuing to quality for submission to UKAS
• To maintain a comprehensive record of all modifications and improvements within the laboratory
• To implement all technical changes as an outcome of audits/complaints etc in a robust manner ensuring all corrective actions are effective
• To investigate customer complaints when required and support the team with completing complaint investigations and non-conforming work
• To perform audits in line with the quality system
• Represent the laboratory in external audits (regulatory/client audits etc.)
• Complete KPIs on a daily, weekly and monthly basis
• To ensure in conjunction with the laboratory management and the quality team, that all methods are validated and that EQA, IQC and DPC systems are maintained (sample handling, reporting and reviewing) and non-conformances are investigated.
• To maintain and review externally sourced method references
• To maintain uncertainty of measurement for current methods
• To ensure the Environmental monitoring programme is fit for purpose
• To provide technical support to the Stock Controller/Team Leader when liaising with company suppliers
• Support customer requirements and be a key-link to ensure customer requirements are translated in the quality system
• To attend and actively participate in the Group Technical Forums, implementing all improvement opportunities and group initiatives
• To be a point of reference within Eurofins UK for internal clients for any issues arising regarding testing
• Responsible for promoting a professional image of the Company and for complying with the company's Equal Opportunities and Harassment Policies at all times, including work related events which take place outside normal working hours
• Read and comply with company rules, procedures, agreements and any notices displayed by the Company.

Qualifications

• Understanding of ISO 17025, UKAS, RSA, BEIC, key customer requirements, audit procedures, laboratory methods and quality management systems.
• Proven experience in working to and exceeding targets within the quality system
• Experience of working with a broad range of internal and external customers
• Competence in IT, including LIMS, spreadsheets and databases
• Experience working in a relevant UKAS accredited laboratory
• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent written and communication skills
• Full commitment to meeting customers expectation
• Full commitment to lean management
• Proven ability to develop team members
• Great laboratory skills and practices as well as relevant methods/ techniques
• Able to present complex information face to face, over TEAMs and on email

Additional Information

At Eurofins we are growing, innovating and always learning. We celebrate the achievements of our employees through annual long service awards, recognise our colleagues special life events, and we are committed to charitable causes through global fundraising activities.

As a Eurofins employee you will benefit from:

• Enhanced Annual Leave Entitlement
• Annual Leave Sellback Scheme
• Additional Annual Leave at Employees set service dates   
• Free Parking
• Company Pension Plan
• Life Assurance Scheme (4 times annual salary)
• Healthcare Cash Plan (6+ months service)
• Enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Paternity Schemes
• Employee Assistance Programme – 24/7 confidential
• Health and Wellbeing Programmes
• Worldwide career opportunities
• We also have in place rewards recognising the great work our employees deliver, their dedicated service and celebrating special life events.

What Happens Next

Our people are the backbone of what we do, so it's incredibly important we find the right individuals to join us. As a potential new recruit you'll be invited to meet the team in the form of an assessment centre or a staged interview process dependent on the role and it's requirements, this will give you the opportunity to see what working for Eurofins is really like and enable us to get you know your key skills and strengths. 

 

Your data 

As part of any recruitment process, the company collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants. The company is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations.

 

Closing Date

We reserve the right to close or extend this position depending on application numbers. Therefore we would urge candidates to submit an application as early as possible.

 

Due to the high volume of applications we receive please be aware that if you do not receive a response within 4 weeks of the vacancy expiry date unfortunately, on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful. 

We support your development! Do you feel you don’t match 100% of the requirements? Don’t hesitate to apply anyway! Eurofins companies are committed to supporting your career development.

We embrace diversity! Eurofins network of companies believe in strength and innovation through diversity, being an Equal Opportunity Employer. We prohibit discrimination against employees or applications based on gender identity and/or expression, race, nationality, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and everything else that makes employees of Eurofins companies unique.

Sustainability matters to us! We encourage our laboratory leaders to make sustainable changes at their local level, and in addition to their initiatives we also count on our dedicated carbon reduction team to help us to achieve this goal!

Find out more in our career page: https://careers.eurofins.com/