Plant QFS Laboratory Manager

Job Summary:
At Danone, ensuring food safety and product quality begins with reliable, scientifically-validated laboratory testing and independent results. We are currently looking to hire a QFS Plant Laboratory Manager (PQLab) based in our Bridgeton, New Jersey manufacturing facility to lead all laboratory activities at the plant level. In this critical Quality & Food Safety Laboratory Manager role, you will drive laboratory operations to ensure food safety, product quality, and process control through precision testing, rigorous quality systems, and strategic decision-making. You will manage laboratory resources, budgets, and capabilities while ensuring compliance with Danone standards, regulatory requirements, and ISO 17025 accreditation where applicable. As a key member of the plant Quality & Food Safety organization, you will provide analytical leadership, support product release, and contribute to a strong culture of quality and safety across the site.

Key Responsibilities:
As a key member of our team, you will play an important role in driving our mission forward. The following responsibilities outline the core expectations and contributions for this position:

Lead all plant laboratory activities to support food safety, process control, and product release in compliance with Danone and regulatory requirements.
• Implement and maintain laboratory quality systems in line with Global Analytical Excellence standards and ISO 17025 requirements, as applicable.
• Achieve and sustain ISO 17025 accreditation for laboratory methods where required.
• Oversee daily laboratory operations, including testing execution, control plan adherence, equipment calibration, and maintenance.
• Manage finished product, raw material, packaging, and semifinished product testing and release in accordance with defined requirements.
• Interpret and approve laboratory results, identify nonconformities, and ensure timely escalation and resolution.
• Define, monitor, and report laboratory KPIs, including turnaround time, error rates, and analytical performance.
• Drive continuous improvement within the laboratory, including internal audits, nonconformance management, and process optimization.
• Lead laboratory digitalization and automation initiatives, including integration with LIMS and data systems.
• Develop, coach, and assess laboratory team capabilities, ensuring appropriate training, competency, and succession planning.
• Manage laboratory budgets, including labor, consumables, and operational costs.
• Coordinate and manage external laboratories, ensuring performance, approval status, and compliance.
• Support manufacturing and participate in crisis management activities as required.
• In plants implementing IWS, serve as a member of an IWS pillar team and own at least one Qualityrelated system.

Physical Demands:

• Regularly required to walk and move throughout laboratory and manufacturing environments and remain stationary for periods of time.
• Frequently required to stand, sit, and use hands and arms to handle samples, laboratory equipment, and documentation.
• Occasionally required to bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, climb stairs or platforms, and access laboratory or production areas.
• May occasionally be required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment:

• Work is performed primarily in a laboratory and manufacturing environment.
• Exposure may include noise, temperature variations, chemicals, food allergens, and required personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Role may require flexibility to support production schedules, investigations, audits, or crisis situations.

Engagement in our Integrated Work Systems
Ensure adherence to plant standards and procedures (including but not limited to GMP, AIB, FDA, IWS, Quality, Safety, Finance, ISO, HOPE, Danone Behaviors, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE). As a fundamental piece of the organization, your responsibility is to participate and own the implementation and deployment of IWS system and its pillars (Leadership foundation, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE; Autonomous Maintenance; planned Maintenance; Focused Improvement; Education and Training; Environmental, Health and Safety; Quality; Organization; Supply Network; Early Equipment Management) with the objective of owning your space, owning your performance (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Mobilization, Nature) and owning your continuous improvement.

Compensation & Benefits:
Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options.

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of education, experience, and skills that enable them to excel in this position. The following qualifications outline what we're looking for, including both required and preferred criteria:

Education & Experience:

• A bachelor's degree in chemistry, Biology, Food Science, or a related scientific discipline is required.
• A minimum of 2 years of related experience within a food/beverage manufacturing or other regulated manufacturing environment, required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of laboratory operations, analytical testing, and Quality & Food Safety systems in a manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of ISO 17025, laboratory quality systems, and analytical method implementation
• Experience managing laboratory KPIs, turnaround times, and analytical performance.
• Ability to interpret analytical data, assess risk, and support product release decisions.
• Digital fluency with laboratory and quality systems (e.g., LIMS, data analytics tools).
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Effective communication and stakeholder management across Quality, Operations, and external partners.
• High attention to detail, data integrity, and documentation accuracy.
• Ability to maintain laboratory impartiality while managing daytoday operational demands.
• Ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as business needs dictate. Work schedules could include nights or weekends as business needs dictate.

Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. You'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia, DanActive, Danimals, Dannon, evian, Follow Your Heart, Happy Family Organics, International Delight, Light + Fit, Nutricia , Oikos, Silk, So Delicious Dairy Free, STK Cold Brew Coffee , Too Good & Co, and YoCrunch.

With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

You'll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps in the world, working to make sure our company creates real value for people and the planet. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state/provincial and/or local law. For our EEO policy statement and your EEO rights under law click here.

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