Sr. Food Safety Lead

Senior Food Safety Lead – Night Shift

At CJ Schwan’s, we don’t just make food — we help create moments that matter. From kids devouring pizza after soccer practice, to students laughing over dumplings in a cafeteria, to families enjoying pie during the holidays, our team members play an important role in bringing those everyday moments to life. Our portfolio includes iconic pizzas, global flavors and timeless desserts from brands like Red Baron®, bibigo®, Tony’s®, Big Daddy’s®, Freschetta®, Pagoda®, Edwards® and Mrs.

Smith’s®. Enjoyed in homes, schools, restaurants and just about everywhere people shop and eat, our products reflect a commitment to quality, innovation and the power of food to bring people together.

Our brand-new, 360,000-square-foot Asian-style food manufacturing facility in Sioux Falls, SD is taking shape — and we’re ramping up hiring for key roles. This is your chance to be part of something from the ground up. We’re building a strong, experienced team ready to bring this new site to life and shape its future together.

The Sr. Food Safety Lead is responsible for providing technical leadership and oversight of food safety programs across designated manufacturing facilities. This position leads the development, validation, verification, and continuous improvement of HACCP plans and food safety systems while ensuring compliance with company policies, regulatory requirements, and industry standards. The Sr. Food Safety Lead serves as a key resource for food safety risk management, microbiological performance monitoring, corrective action programs, and cross-functional food safety initiatives to drive product safety and operational excellence.

• Serve as the HACCP Program Coordinator for assigned facilities.
• Develop, maintain, verify, and reassess HACCP plans to ensure compliance with regulatory and company requirements.
• Lead Critical Control Point (CCP) validation and verification activities, including the design and execution of validation studies.
• Coordinate and deliver HACCP and food safety training programs for plant personnel.
• Provide technical guidance and support to plant leadership regarding food safety compliance and best practices.
• Conduct food safety risk assessments for manufacturing processes, raw materials, ingredients, and finished products.
• Identify food safety vulnerabilities and develop corrective actions and mitigation strategies based on risk assessment findings.
• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of food safety programs, policies, and procedures.
• Support food safety culture initiatives and drive continuous improvement efforts across operations.
• Audit and verify compliance with plant prerequisite programs, including:
  • Allergen Control Programs
  • Pest Control Programs
  • Microbiological Testing Programs
  • Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs)
  • Traceability Programs
  • Environmental Monitoring Programs

• Ensure compliance with USDA, FSIS, FDA, GFSI, customer, and corporate food safety requirements.
• Monitor regulatory developments and industry trends and recommend operational adjustments as needed.
• Partner with Engineering, Research & Development, Operations, and Quality teams to develop and implement lethality validation programs for Ready-to-Eat (RTE) products.
• Lead process risk assessments and validation activities for new products, processes, and equipment.
• Provide technical expertise in food microbiology, sanitation, thermal processing, and preventive controls.
• Evaluate scientific data and research to support food safety decisions and process improvements.
• Serve as a liaison between plant Food Safety & Quality, Microbiology, and Corporate FSQ teams.
• Monitor and analyze pre-operational sanitation performance and microbiological testing…