Interested in a career that matters?
At Novonesis, we use biology to create sustainable solutions that improve everyday life and address global challenges. Our work spans food and beverage, human health, agriculture, and industrial biotechnology—helping industries meet global challenges through innovation.
Quality and food safety are at the core of how we operate, enabling us to build trust with customers worldwide. At our Salem, VA site, you’ll join a collaborative team working across production, laboratory, engineering, and sanitation to ensure safe, reliable, and compliant manufacturing operations.
If you’re motivated to grow your career in quality and compliance while making a tangible impact in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, this role offers the opportunity to do just that.
The Role & Your ImpactAs a Quality Specialist, you will lead daily quality and compliance activities in a biotechnology manufacturing environment, ensuring adherence to GMP and food safety standards. This is a highly cross-functional role with direct impact on manufacturing performance, compliance, and continuous improvement initiatives. You will serve as a key partner to operations—translating requirements into practical actions, resolving issues in real time, and strengthening quality systems to support safe and efficient production.
Key responsibilities include:Lead daily quality and food safety activities within manufacturing operations
Conduct GMP inspections, audits, and process verification to ensure compliance
Partner with operations teams to identify and resolve quality issues in real time
Investigate deviations, non-conformances, and customer complaints, and drive corrective actions
Maintain and enhance food safety and quality management systems
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen process reliability and compliance
Leverage digital tools and data (including AI-enabled systems) to improve trending, reporting, and workflows
Ensure accurate documentation and support internal, regulatory, and customer audits
Build strong cross-functional relationships with operations and technical teams
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Biology, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, or a related field
OR 3–5 years of manufacturing or production experience in food, biotech, pharmaceutical, or industrial environments with interest in quality/compliance
Strong communication and collaboration skills
Ability to work perform effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
Proficiency with basic computer systems and digital tools
Strong attention to detail and problem-solving abilities
Willingness to learn and apply new technologies, systems, and AI-enabled tools
Experience in biotech, food, pharmaceutical, or ingredient manufacturing
Familiarity with GMP, HACCP, and food safety systems
Experience with digital systems such as SAP, LIMS, MES, or Power BI
Knowledge of lean manufacturing or continuous improvement methodologies
Experience working cross-functionally within operations environments
The opportunity to contribute to solutions that impact billions of people globally
Hands-on experience in advanced biotechnology manufacturing
Clear opportunities to grow into roles across quality, compliance, and operations leadership
Development in AI-enabled manufacturing and data-driven decision-making
A collaborative culture focused on continuous improvement, innovation, and sustainability
A highly operations-facing role with regular presence on the production floor
Close collaboration with cross-functional teams including operations and engineering
Fast-paced environment requiring adaptability and proactive problem-solving
Exposure to industrial manufacturing conditions and GMP-regulated environments
Compensation & Benefits
Expected salary range: $64,467-$88,644
Benefits you will enjoy:
401(k) with up to a 9% company contribution
Minimum of 3 weeks of vacation plus 12 holidays and 2 weeks of Wellness Time
Health, Dental, Vision & Life insurance
Healthcare savings account option with generous employer contribution
Employee assistance program
Parental leave
Tuition reimbursement
All benefits begin on your first day
Relevant Information
Location: Salem, VA
Application deadline: July 3, 2026
Our purpose guides the way
In Novonesis, we know that solutions rooted in biology can help solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Since we began more than a century ago, this has been our guide. It’s how we've gotten so far. And it’s how we'll impact the future. Now, more than ever, the world needs change. And with biosolutions, the possibilities for transformation are endless. If our purpose resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.
Opportunities for everyone
We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and equal opportunity for all applicants. Therefore we ask you to apply without a cover letter or photo and instead include a few sentences in your CV explaining your motivation for applying.
We make all employment decisions based on business needs and welcome candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.
Explore other openings
If this position isn’t the right fit, you may still find other opportunities with us. You’re welcome to explore open roles or create a job agent to stay connected with future opportunities at novonesis.com/Career
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Biology, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, or related field OR 3-5 years manufacturing/production experience in food, biotech, pharmaceutical, or industrial environments
- Strong communication and collaboration skills
- Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
- Proficiency with basic computer systems and digital tools
- Strong attention to detail and problem-solving abilities
- Willingness to learn and apply new technologies, systems, and AI-enabled tools
- Experience in biotech, food, pharmaceutical, or ingredient manufacturing
- Familiarity with GMP, HACCP, and food safety systems
- Experience with digital systems such as SAP, LIMS, MES, or Power BI
- Knowledge of lean manufacturing or continuous improvement methodologies
- Experience working cross-functionally within operations environments
Novozymes Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Novozymes and has not been reviewed or approved by Novozymes.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Policies include paid holidays, vacation, sick leave, and generous PTO with floating days, with some locations noting separate vacation and sick leave.
-
Healthcare Strength — Provides medical and dental insurance, with coverage described as reasonably priced and of good quality in multiple regions.
-
Retirement Support — Offers a 401(k) plan with employer matching and structured retirement benefits referenced across roles and postings.
Novozymes Insights
What We Do
Novozymes has combined with Chr. Hansen to become Novonesis: linkedin.com/company/novonesis. This global biosolutions company of 10,000 people is transforming how the world produces, consumes and lives. In 30-plus industries, its biosolutions help businesses meet their needs and the needs of our planet. Novozymes was formed in 2000 when Novo Nordisk split into three companies: Novo Nordisk A/S, Novozymes A/S and Novo A/S. Novozymes was the world leader in biological solutions with a commitment to Rethink Tomorrow. It served 130 markets with enzymatic, microbial and advanced protein solutions. The company’s solutions enabled higher agricultural yields, low-temperature washing, energy-efficient production, renewable fuel and many other benefits. In December 2022, Novozymes and Chr. Hansen entered into an agreement to create a leading global biosolutions partner by combining the two companies. The goal was to unleash the full potential of biosolutions and generate significant value for all stakeholders and society. The combination was completed on January 29, 2024 and Novonesis was born. The name means ‘a new beginning’ and is derived from the Greek word ‘genesis’. It reflects a new era where we’ll better our world with biology. You can find Novonesis on LinkedIn here: linkedin.com/company/novonesis. Novozymes A/S, part of Novonesis Group.
