NFPC (National Food Products Company) — one of the UAE’s most established and respected Food & Beverage companies with an incredible portfolio of dairy, juice, and FMCG products — has an exciting opportunity for a talented and experienced Microbiology Supervisor to join its team in Abu Dhabi. Leading the day-to-day operation of NFPC’s microbiology laboratory, you will plan, organize, and oversee microbiological testing of incoming ingredients, in-process materials, and finished products across multiple manufacturing sites — ensuring all procedures meet ISO 17025 requirements and the highest standards of food safety and quality compliance.
About This Role — Microbiology Supervisor at NFPC Abu Dhabi
Company: NFPC — National Food Products Company — one of the UAE’s most iconic and well-established food and beverage manufacturers, known for an incredible portfolio of dairy, juice, water, and FMCG products across the UAE and wider GCC
Lab Focus: Microbiology laboratory operations — microbiological testing of raw materials, in-process samples, and finished dairy products across NFPC’s Abu Dhabi manufacturing sites
Standards Framework: ISO 17025 accreditation requirements, GMP, HACCP — ensuring all laboratory procedures, testing protocols, and quality systems meet the most rigorous food safety and laboratory quality standards
Research Scope: Shelf-life studies, challenge studies, method validation, and applied microbiological research — adding genuine scientific depth to a role that goes well beyond routine testing supervision
Seniority: Associate-level supervisor position — team leadership of QC Technicians and coordination with Quality Manager, operations, and technical teams
Why NFPC Abu Dhabi — A Microbiology Laboratory Career at the UAE’s Iconic FMCG Brand
Brand Recognition: NFPC is one of the UAE’s most recognized and trusted food and beverage brands — with an incredible product portfolio that makes this one of the region’s most prestigious food science employer credentials
Technical Depth: ISO 17025 microbiology laboratory supervision combined with shelf-life and challenge study management creates an exceptionally well-rounded and technically advanced food microbiology career profile
Multi-Site Scope: Oversight of microbiological testing across multiple NFPC manufacturing sites provides broad operational experience and genuine organizational visibility rarely available in single-site laboratory roles
Career Growth: NFPC’s scale, product diversity, and manufacturing excellence provide strong long-term career advancement opportunities for high-performing food microbiology professionals in the UAE
Position Overview
The Microbiology Supervisor at NFPC Abu Dhabi will lead the day-to-day operation of the microbiology laboratory — planning, organizing, and overseeing all microbiological testing of incoming ingredients, in-process materials, and finished dairy products across NFPC’s manufacturing sites. You will develop and implement sampling plans and testing regimes, establish test protocols in line with ISO 17025 and local standards, evaluate and interpret microbiological results, manage laboratory quality and compliance, validate new methods, conduct shelf-life and challenge studies, and ensure all laboratory personnel comply with HSE, GMP, and HACCP requirements — while providing team leadership, technical reporting, and administrative oversight that maintains the highest standards of microbiological laboratory performance.
Why This Microbiology Supervisor Role at NFPC Stands Out: You lead the microbiology laboratory of one of the UAE’s most celebrated and well-established food and beverage manufacturers — with full ISO 17025 compliance responsibility and multi-site testing oversight that creates exceptional career credentials in UAE food microbiology, the inclusion of shelf-life studies, challenge studies, and method validation responsibility elevates this role well beyond routine microbiological testing supervision — creating genuine applied research experience alongside operational laboratory leadership, ISO 17025 accreditation management combined with HACCP and GMP compliance oversight provides one of the most technically comprehensive and professionally recognized laboratory quality management skill sets in the UAE FMCG sector, NFPC’s incredible product portfolio and established UAE market position provides a genuinely prestigious and career-enhancing employer credential that is recognized across the GCC and broader MENA food science profession, and managing a microbiology team — including QC Technicians, HSE training documentation, and performance monitoring — builds the people leadership and team development skills that distinguish senior food microbiology laboratory supervisors from technical-only roles.
Key Responsibilities
Microbiological Testing & Sampling Plan Management
- Oversee and coordinate microbiological testing of raw materials, in-process samples, and finished dairy products across all NFPC manufacturing sites — ensuring all testing is conducted accurately, on schedule, and in line with ISO 17025 requirements
- Develop, update, and implement comprehensive sampling plans and testing regimes — ensuring effective microbiological control at every stage of production from ingredient receipt through finished product release
- Establish test protocols and procedures in line with local food safety standards, UAE regulatory requirements, industry guidelines, and ISO 17025 accreditation requirements — maintaining current, documented, and compliant testing procedures
- Evaluate results, decide when retesting is required, and escalate abnormal or out-of-specification results to the Quality Manager promptly — providing clear, accurate, and actionable technical interpretation of microbiological findings
Laboratory Quality, Compliance & ISO 17025
- Ensure all laboratory testing follows approved protocols, quality specifications, and regulatory requirements — implementing a systematic monitoring system to verify the accuracy and consistency of the microbiology team’s sampling and testing activities
- Write, review, and update procedures for the laboratory procedure manuals — maintaining current, accurate, and ISO 17025-compliant SOPs, work instructions, and quality records across all laboratory functions
- Record all microbiological testing results accurately and completely in the laboratory information system — maintaining the data integrity and audit-readiness required for ISO 17025 accreditation maintenance
- Interpret microbiological findings and support troubleshooting of quality issues — providing technical insight and practical recommendations that enable the operations team to resolve microbiological challenges effectively
Validation, Shelf-Life Studies & Applied Research
- Validate new microbiological testing methods, technologies, and process improvements — ensuring all new methods are properly verified, documented, and approved before implementation in routine laboratory operations
- Plan and conduct shelf-life studies, challenge studies, and other special microbiological research projects — generating the scientific evidence that supports product development, safety validation, and regulatory compliance activities
- Maintain culture media preparation procedures, quality control, and equipment calibration records — ensuring all media, reagents, and laboratory equipment consistently meet the quality and performance requirements of ISO 17025
- Contribute to NFPC’s continuous improvement of food safety and microbiological quality management — applying practical microbiological expertise to identify and implement measurable improvements across testing processes
HSE, GMP, Team Leadership & Training
- Conduct periodic laboratory risk assessments and ensure all laboratory personnel comply with health and safety procedures — maintaining a safe, well-organized, and professionally managed microbiological laboratory environment
- Ensure QC Technicians complete all required HSE training and that training completion is properly documented — supporting NFPC’s workplace safety compliance and laboratory HSE performance objectives
- Maintain laboratory equipment, housekeeping, and all workplace and personal hygiene standards in full compliance with GMP and HACCP requirements — reinforcing a strong food safety culture throughout the laboratory team
- Lead and develop the microbiology laboratory team — providing technical guidance, performance oversight, and professional development support that builds a high-performing, quality-focused, and safety-conscious laboratory operation
Qualifications & Requirements
Educational Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Microbiology, Food Microbiology, Biotechnology, Food Science, or a closely related life science discipline from a recognized institution
- Professional development in ISO 17025 laboratory quality management, HACCP, GMP, or food safety management is a valued additional qualification for this senior supervisory role
Experience Requirements
- Minimum 5 years of experience in a similar microbiology laboratory role — ideally within FMCG or dairy food manufacturing — with demonstrated team leadership and supervisory responsibility
- Solid practical knowledge of culture media preparation and quality control, equipment calibration requirements, and ISO 17025 laboratory quality management system maintenance
- Working knowledge of GMP and HACCP — with practical experience applying these standards in a food manufacturing microbiology laboratory environment
- Proven team leadership and people management skills — with experience supervising QC Technicians, delivering HSE training documentation, and managing laboratory team performance
About NFPC — National Food Products Company UAE
NFPC (National Food Products Company) is one of the UAE’s most established, beloved, and trusted food and beverage companies — home to an incredible portfolio of dairy products, juices, water, and FMCG food items that are consumed by millions of UAE residents and visitors every day. With state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, a commitment to food safety excellence, and decades of operational experience in the UAE’s food and beverage industry, NFPC provides a genuinely outstanding professional environment for food scientists, microbiologists, and quality professionals at every career level.
As Microbiology Supervisor at NFPC Abu Dhabi, you join a company where food safety is not just a regulatory requirement but a deeply held organizational value — and where your microbiological expertise, ISO 17025 knowledge, HACCP discipline, and team leadership skills directly protect the safety and quality of products that consumers trust and love every single day.
Career Excellence: Lead microbiological testing excellence at one of the UAE’s most iconic dairy and FMCG manufacturers — where your ISO 17025 expertise, shelf-life study capability, HACCP knowledge, and team leadership skills make a genuine, daily, and lasting difference to the food safety standards that protect NFPC’s consumers across Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE.
Who Should Apply?
- Experienced Microbiology Laboratory Supervisors: With 5+ years in dairy, FMCG, or food manufacturing microbiology laboratories — ISO 17025, GMP, and HACCP compliance experience is essential
- Dairy & Food Microbiology Specialists: With hands-on experience supervising microbiological testing programs for raw materials, in-process samples, and finished dairy or food products in a UAE or GCC manufacturing environment
- ISO 17025-Competent Laboratory Leaders: With demonstrated experience maintaining ISO 17025 accreditation requirements — including SOP writing, quality records management, and method validation in a food microbiology laboratory
- Shelf-Life & Challenge Study Professionals: With practical experience planning and conducting microbiological shelf-life studies, challenge studies, and applied research projects in a food or dairy manufacturing setting
- BSc/MSc Microbiology Graduates with Leadership Experience: With food microbiology degrees, 5+ years of laboratory supervisory experience, and a genuine commitment to GMP, HACCP, and ISO 17025 food safety laboratory excellence
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