Food Safety Quality Manager
Johnsonville · Watertown, WI
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Quality
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Food & beverage
- Posted
- 15 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management quality role at Johnsonville (food & beverage) in Watertown, WI.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, FDA / GMP, SAP
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Quality Engineer roles in Wisconsin: typical posted base $76k–$106k.
Median of the low and high ends of 12 live postings that list pay, out of 41 quality engineer openings in Wisconsin, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Wisconsin plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 40 other live quality postings in Wisconsin.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Typical (5+ years)
Typical $74k–$106k, from 11 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Root cause 54%
- Supplier quality 44%
- FMEA 37%
- Control plans 37%
- New product launch 34%
- SPC 34%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Quality team at Johnsonville
We found 5 people at this company and state: 4 in this kind of role, 1 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Ty → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Which standards drive the work here: ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100?
- How much of the job is customer complaints versus prevention?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Johnsonville in Watertown
2 other open roles at this site · 5 people we found in quality roles at Johnsonville.
- Electro-Mechanical Technician 2nd Shift · Reliability · Technician
- Assistant Food Safety Quality Manager - Watertown · Quality · Manager
Food Safety Quality Manager at Johnsonville in other locations
Johnsonville lists this title in 2 places. Pick the plant you can get to.
Full description from JohnsonvilleAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
responsibilities
and wants to continue to grow and be challenged.
Responsibilities
- ◆Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement, striving for zero IFR year after year
- ◆Lead the plant food safety and quality system by administering programs, procedures, and policies while promoting Johnsonville culture and driving strategic continuous improvement in response to food safety and quality risks or incidents within animal harvest and fresh sausage processes.
- ◆Collaborate with cross-functional teams to monitor key food safety and quality performance metrics, identify trends and process variation, and drive effective corrective actions and sustained improvement.
- ◆Lead and administer the facility’s Animal Welfare System and Programs.
- ◆Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, including USDA- FSIS, Federal and State requirements.
- ◆Lead cross-functional teams to excel at all site internal, customer, regulatory, and SQF audits, ensuring effective preparation, execution, and follow-up.
- ◆Demonstrate the ability to apply technical acumen in relation to meat food safety and quality systems.
- ◆Use your technical expertise to train members on food safety principles, quality systems, and regulatory requirements.
- ◆Actively participate in network wide project work as applied to food safety, quality, animal welfare and process related improvements.
- ◆Directly coach and develop Food Safety and Quality team members.
- ◆Lead and manage the performance of third-party contractors, such as pest control
- ◆Lead FSQ capital pipeline planning and budget development efforts to align facility investments with network food safety and quality strategies.
Education
- ✓Bachelor's degree in food science, Meat Science, Microbiology or related field preferred
Experience
- ✓5 years of experience in a food safety and quality leadership role required
- ✓Experience in food required; meat/poultry processing and harvest preferred
requirements
and have established regulatory relationships. Emphasis on prior USDA- FSIS facility experience.
- ✓Proficiency in Microsoft Suite required
- ✓Possesses a Certification of Global Food Safety Initiative Standards [Safe Quality Food program preferred]
- ✓Experience analyzing fresh product shelf life and microbiology preferred
- ✓Knowledge of continuous improvement processes (Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, etc.)
- ✓Experience with digital document systems - SAP Business Operating System and Redzone preferred
- ✓Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Other
Requirements
Members have potential for a monthly bonus and 401k with a company match. Members also have access to terrific benefits including affordable medical, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; disability and life insurance; and fertility and adoption assistance. Johnsonville also offers competitive paid time off, including paid parental time off! Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.
Applicants must be eligible to work in the country where this job is located, without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Johnsonville Location: Watertown
Our No. 1 priority at Johnsonville is providing a safe work environment for every Member we employ. Our industry-leading safety record, coupled with the safety awards we’ve received, demonstrate this commitment. Members of our safety team maintain the safety of Johnsonville Members in our facilities, continuously finding new and better ways to do so. We’re also dedicated to producing only the highest-quality products for consumers worldwide to enjoy – ones we would be proud to serve at our own family table. Our quality team ensures Johnsonville meets or exceeds all standards set by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), of the US Department of Agriculture and other regulatory agencies. Our commitment to quality is unparalleled, thanks to the dedication of each quality team member.
Position Overview
Johnsonville has an opportunity for a Food Safety/Quality Coordinator to join our Watertown FSQ Team. Your passion for continuous improvement will support the company in its drive to create a best in world quality culture through leadership and member interaction. This job is perfect for an individual who has a track record of improving and expanding the scope of their
Skills
- •Demonstrated leadership and the ability to grow direct and indirect members required
- •Knowledge and understanding of food safety, HACCP systems, USDA/FDA, Animal Handling and Welfare programs and regulatory
About our Company
Since 1945, our family-owned band of sausage-makers has invented better ways to make, eat and prepare crave-able sausage. Today, we are 4,000+ Members strong. We sell our famous sausage in all 50 United States and more than 40 countries. We have a culture built on the idea that if we make developing your talents our top priority, great business results will follow naturally. We call it The Johnsonville Way. It has been our secret sauce for decades, and we hope you get to experience it for yourself!