We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and highly technical Sanitation & Food Safety Program Specialist, US to join our growing team!This corporate-level role is responsible for advancing and standardizing sanitation programs across DO & CO's U.S. operations. The ideal candidate is a hands-on food safety professional who can assess complex production environments, identify sanitation and microbiological risks, lead root-cause investigations, and translate technical requirements into practical, sustainable solutions.
Responsibilities- Provide technical oversight and guidance for sanitation programs across DO & CO's U.S. facilities.
- Develop, standardize, and continuously improve SSOPs, Master Sanitation Schedules, cleaning procedures, and verification standards.
- Conduct sanitation assessments across production areas, ready-to-eat environments, equipment, coolers, freezers, dishrooms, drains, docks, and waste areas.
- Evaluate cleaning methods, chemicals, concentrations, contact times, equipment, sanitation contractors, and service providers.
- Identify hygienic-design concerns and sanitation vulnerabilities and partner with facility teams to implement sustainable solutions.
- Establish standardized pre-operational inspection and release programs across facilities.
- Conduct independent inspections to verify sanitation effectiveness and production readiness.
- Identify food residue, grease, biofilm risks, standing water, damaged surfaces, inaccessible areas, and other sanitation deficiencies
- Ensure corrective actions are completed and effective before equipment or production areas are released for use.
- Maintain consistent documentation, escalation, and follow-up procedures for significant findings.
- Support the development and continuous improvement of Environmental Monitoring Programs, with particular focus on ready-to-eat and high-risk areas.
- Review sampling plans, locations, frequencies, zoning, ATP results, and environmental trend data.
- Lead or support investigations involving recurring environmental findings or pathogens, including Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes.
- Verify intensified cleaning, resampling, mitigation activities, allergen-cleaning validation, and corrective actions.
- Ensure sanitation tools are properly segregated, dedicated, and color-coded where required.
- Verify the proper selection, concentration, labeling, storage, dispensing, and use of sanitation chemicals.
- Ensure cleaning practices follow manufacturer instructions and established sanitation procedures.
- Evaluate equipment and facilities for harborage points, damaged surfaces, standing water, condensation, deteriorated seals, and other contamination risks.
- Participate in sanitation reviews for new equipment, renovations, construction projects, and process changes.
- Partner with Maintenance, Engineering, Operations, FSQA, chemical suppliers, and facility leadership to resolve sanitation-related deficiencies.
- Review pest-control programs, activity trends, and corrective actions with FSQA and facility leadership.
- Assess waste-handling areas, docks, compactors, recycling areas, and exterior conditions for sanitation and pest risks.
- Verify sanitation procedures supporting Halal segregation and shared-equipment controls.
- Evaluate cleaning and tool-control practices designed to prevent allergen and Halal/non-Halal cross-contact.
- Lead sanitation-related investigations and root-cause analyses.
- Develop risk-based corrective and preventive action recommendations.
- Verify the completion and sustained effectiveness of sanitation CAPAs.
- Identify recurring findings across facilities and recommend long-term, systemic solutions.
- Escalate significant sanitation and food safety risks to FSQA leadership.
- Develop and deliver technical training on SSOPs, GMPs, chemical safety, sanitation verification, environmental pathogen controls, and cross-contamination prevention.
- Coach Sanitation Managers, supervisors, FSQA personnel, Operations teams, and frontline employees.
- Verify training effectiveness through field observations and follow-up assessments.
- Support FDA inspections, customer audits, third-party audits, and internal food safety assessments.
- Assist facilities with regulatory observations, customer findings, CAPAs, and effectiveness verification.
- Promote sanitation as a critical food safety preventive control and shared organizational responsibility.
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Safety, Biology, Environmental Health, Public Health, Food Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
- At least five years of progressive experience in food manufacturing, airline catering, commissary operations, sanitation, food safety, or quality assurance.
- Strong working knowledge of food sanitation, GMPs, HACCP, Environmental Monitoring Programs, sanitation verification, and preventive controls.
- Demonstrated experience conducting sanitation inspections, investigations, root-cause analyses, and corrective-action follow-up.
- Experience identifying microbiological, sanitation, hygienic-design, allergen, and cross-contamination risks in complex food-production environments.
- Strong analytical, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
- Capable of working independently while effectively influencing and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
- Willing and able to travel regularly among DO & CO's U.S. facilities.
- Flexible availability, including early mornings, nights, weekends, and overnight sanitation or pre-operational activities when required.
Preferred Qualifications- PCQI certification.
- HACCP certification.
- Registered Sanitarian, Registered Environmental Health Specialist, or equivalent credential.
- Experience working in FDA-regulated food facilities and knowledge of 21 CFR Part 117.
- Experience with Environmental Monitoring Programs, particularly those involving Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes.
- Background in ready-to-eat food manufacturing, airline catering, commissary operations, or other high-volume food-production environments.
- Experience with sanitation chemicals, ATP systems, allergen verification, microbiological sampling, and hygienic design.
- Experience supporting FDA inspections, customer audits, and third-party audits.
What We Offer:- Salary range: $90,000 - $115,000 annually.
- Complimentary daily meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits for eligible full-time employees.
- 401(k) eligibility for full-time employees.
- A workplace committed to culinary excellence, innovation, and exceptional hospitality.
- Genuine career-development opportunities, both nationally and internationally.
- The opportunity to represent and collaborate with a global leader in luxury gourmet entertainment.
