UK Microbiologist jobs

Location: Park Royal, London
Salary: £30,000 – £35,000 per annum (depending on experience)
Job Type: Full-time

About Cool Chile

Cool Chile is a specialist importer and manufacturer of authentic Mexican food products, supplying retailers, foodservice and chefs throughout the UK.

We are a small, friendly and growing business where every member of the team has the opportunity to make a real difference. We're looking for an organised, curious and technically minded person to help develop and continuously improve our food safety and quality systems.

This is a varied, hands-on role that would suit someone who enjoys solving problems, creating efficient systems and working with people across all areas of the business.

The Role

Working closely with the Directors and Production Team, you'll help ensure our products, systems and documentation meet the highest standards of food safety, legality and quality.

This is not simply a paperwork role. We're looking for someone who enjoys bringing organisation to a busy manufacturing environment, improving systems and making processes easier, more efficient and more reliable.

Your work will directly contribute to maintaining our SALSA certification, ensuring legal compliance and supporting the continued growth of the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and continuously improve our food safety and quality management system.
• Support the preparation for and maintenance of SALSA certification.
• Create, review and improve procedures, record sheets, work instructions and technical documentation.
• Manage product specifications and supplier documentation.
• Ensure product labels comply with current UK food legislation.
• Monitor changes in food legislation and assess their impact on the business.
• Research technical issues relating to imported foods, allergens, contaminants, pesticide residues, microbiological standards and food legislation.
• Arrange product, environmental and microbiological testing with external laboratories.
• Maintain accurate technical records and documentation.
• Investigate customer complaints, quality issues and non-conformances.
• Work closely with production to improve systems and encourage accurate record keeping.
• Help ensure the factory remains inspection, EHO and audit ready at all times.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, compliance and technical systems throughout the business.

About You

You are naturally organised and enjoy creating systems that make work simpler, more efficient and easier for others to follow.

You enjoy researching technical questions, interpreting food legislation and finding practical solutions to problems.

You are confident using computers and enjoy improving documentation, spreadsheets and digital systems to make information accurate, accessible and easy to manage.

You communicate well with people at every level and can work collaboratively with office and production teams to encourage good food safety practices and accurate record keeping.

You are curious, practical and proactive, taking pride in accuracy, organisation and continuous improvement.

Essential Requirements

• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology or a related discipline, or relevant experience in a food manufacturing technical or quality role.
• Good understanding of HACCP principles and food safety management.
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office, with the confidence to learn new software and digital tools.
• Ability to create and improve practical systems, documentation and record keeping.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to prioritise work, manage multiple projects and work independently.

Desirable

• Experience working within a SALSA, BRCGS or similar food manufacturing environment.
• HACCP qualification.
• Level 3 Food Safety qualification.
• Internal Auditor qualification.
• Experience managing product specifications.
• Experience with food labelling legislation.
• Knowledge of UK food legislation, imported food compliance and technical documentation.

Why Join Cool Chile?

This is an opportunity to develop a broad range of technical skills within a growing food manufacturing business.

Unlike larger organisations, you'll be involved in every aspect of food safety and quality management, from legislation and compliance to practical factory improvements, supplier documentation, product development support and audit preparation.

Your work will have a direct impact on how the business operates, and you'll have the opportunity to help shape and improve our systems as we continue to grow.

If you enjoy bringing order to complexity, building practical systems and making a genuine difference within a small, supportive team, we'd love to hear from you.

Pay: £30,000.00-£35,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person