QA Technician

Role Description Job Purpose To manage and coordinate the microbiological activities across the site, ensuring all raw materials, water, environmental samples, and finished products meet customer, legal, regulatory, and company requirements. The role is responsible for microbiological testing, environmental monitoring, validation activities, laboratory compliance, reporting, trend analysis, and continuous improvement, while supporting the site's food safety and quality objectives. Principal Accountabilities Safety & Environment

• Work safely at all times, complying with company Health & Safety policies and procedures.
• Promote a positive safety culture and challenge unsafe practices.
• Maintain high standards of laboratory hygiene and housekeeping.
• Ensure correct use, storage, and disposal of laboratory chemicals, media, and reagents.
• Identify and report safety, environmental, quality, and food safety risks.
• Ensure accidents, incidents, and near misses are reported and investigated.
• Support environmental and sustainability initiatives within the laboratory. Quality
• Conduct microbiological testing of raw materials, water, environmental samples, and finished products.
• Manage the environmental monitoring programme and review results against agreed standards.
• Coordinate microbiological validation studies and ensure all activities are completed and documented.
• Support shelf-life testing programmes and interpret results.
• Maintain laboratory records, equipment calibration, and testing systems.
• Ensure compliance with customer, legal, regulatory, and accreditation requirements.
• Produce microbiological reports, trend analysis, and KPI data for site teams.
• Investigate microbiological non-conformances, complaints, and adverse trends.
• Support root cause analysis and corrective action programmes.
• Create, review, and maintain laboratory procedures, specifications, and controlled documents.
• Support internal, customer, retailer, and accreditation audits.
• Act as deputy for the Quality Lead when required. Cost & Continuous Improvement
• Control laboratory consumables and maintain adequate stock levels.
• Minimise waste and promote efficient use of resources.
• Identify opportunities to improve laboratory performance, efficiency, and compliance.
• Support continuous improvement projects across the Technical function. Delivery
• Prioritise testing activities to support production requirements.
• Ensure microbiological testing, validation work, and reporting are completed within agreed timescales.
• Provide timely microbiological support to operational teams.
• Escalate issues and risks appropriately to management.
• Provide daily trend analysis and reports.
• Responsible for coordinating authenticity and nutritional testing programmes, ensuring samples are submitted and testing schedules are maintained People
• Build effective working relationships across the site.
• Communicate microbiological results, trends, and risks clearly.
• Support training, coaching, and development of colleagues where appropriate.
• Promote company values and the Princes Code of Conduct.
• Support internal audits, GMP assessments, and verification activities.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties requested by the Technical Manager Role Requirements Essential Experience
• Experience within a food manufacturing or FMCG environment.
• Microbiological laboratory testing experience.
• Experience maintaining laboratory records and documentation.
• Understanding of environmental monitoring programmes.
• Science-based qualification (A-Level, HNC, Degree, or equivalent). Desirable Experience
• Laboratory accreditation systems (GLC, UKAS, or equivalent).
• HACCP and Allergen Management.
• Validation and shelf-life studies.
• Internal auditing.
• SAP or MES systems.
• Continuous Improvement methodologies. Country United Kingdom Location Bradford Business Area Operations Workplace Type Onsite About Princes The Princes Group has over 7,000 employees with offices and production sites in the UK, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, France and Mauritius. Princes manufactures 350 different food and drink products responsibly sourced and enjoyed by consumers every day. None of this would be possible without striving to be an employer of choice, where our colleagues are proud to represent our business. Essential Experience
• Experience within a food manufacturing or FMCG environment.
• Microbiological laboratory testing experience.
• Experience maintaining laboratory records and documentation.
• Understanding of environmental monitoring programmes.
• Science-based qualification (A-Level, HNC, Degree, or equivalent). Desirable Experience
• Laboratory accreditation systems (GLC, UKAS, or equivalent).
• HACCP and Allergen Management.
• Validation and shelf-life studies.
• Internal auditing.
• SAP or MES systems.
• Continuous Improvement methodologies.