Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Office

Job Description

As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.

Description:

Join our innovative R&D team to make a meaningful impact on scientific advancement. As a Scientist III, you will lead technical projects and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to develop advanced solutions that enable customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. You will design and execute experiments, analyze complex data, resolve technical challenges, and implement continuous improvement initiatives. This role offers opportunities to mentor colleagues while working independently on sophisticated research programs that directly impact product development and customer success.

Position Purpose

The Senior Certification Specialist is the organisational expert responsible for leading and executing global microbiological method certification activities for the Food Safety portfolio. The role ensures continued market access, regulatory compliance, and competitive differentiation by securing and maintaining international certifications (e.g., AFNOR, Micro Val, AOAC).

The position requires a high level of technical authority, external influence, global leadership, and independent decision-making to protect and advance the company’s workflows and commercial growth.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Certification Leadership

• Act as the company’s subject matter expert (SME) in global certification schemes (ISO 16140, AOAC PTM/OMA, AFNOR, Micro Val, and equivalent).

• Interpret complex certification requirements and integrate them into product development planning and long-term certification strategy.

• Anticipate regulatory and certification changes, advising leadership on implications and required business actions.

Design & Delivery of Certification Studies

• Design, plan and lead certification validation studies, including highly complex or novel studies with limited industry precedent.

• Ensure certification projects meet defined requirements, budgets, and timelines, proactively mitigating risks and technical challenges.

• Engage and manage external expert laboratories, consultants, reviewers, and certification bodies to deliver high-quality study outcomes.

• Conduct and interpret advanced data analyses, including complex statistical assessments, and provide technical justification for certification decisions.

External Representation & Influence

• Serve as a recognised expert member of international certification bodies (e.g., AFNOR, AOAC, Micro Val), participating directly in review panels, technical committees, and decision-making processes.

• Influence certification bodies’ expectations, interpretation of standards, and method requirements to support favourable outcomes for Thermo Fisher workflows.

• Represent the company in negotiations with senior external stakeholders, government officials, and technical leaders to define proportionate, scientifically sound study requirements.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration

• Partner with R&D Scientists, Product Management, Operations, QA/RA, Commercial Teams, and Project Managers to ensure certification activities are fully integrated into product development and launch plans.

• Identify cross-functional dependencies that impact certification timelines and proactively align stakeholders to resolve gaps.

• Use deep product and workflow knowledge to support critical decisions during NPI development.

Internal Capability Building & Knowledge Leadership

• Mentor and coach Certification team members, developing technical capability, study design expertise, and understanding of global certification schemes.

• Act as a role model, championing Thermo Fisher’s leadership behaviours and organisational initiatives including PPI and 5S.

• Contribute to internal processes, tools, and best practices that enhance certification efficiency and long-term organisational knowledge retention.

Decision-Making Authority

• Make independent decisions regarding study design, risk management, certification strategy, and interactions with external certification bodies.

• Hold delegated authority to negotiate certification requirements directly with global regulators and senior technical leaders.

• Exercise expert judgement in determining appropriate testing scope, ensuring business protection while avoiding unnecessary study burden.

• Lead decisions impacting project timelines, product launch readiness, and regulatory compliance across multiple markets.

Impact & Scope

• Directly enable regulatory compliance and commercialisation of Food Safety products worldwide.

• Influence Food Safety revenue streams by securing and maintaining critical product certifications.

• Represent Thermo Fisher at international technical committees shaping industry standards.

• Be accountable for the successful delivery of all certification activities across multiple workflows (e.g., Sure Tect, Precis).

Experience, Skills & Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant biological science; advanced degree preferred.

• Proven and externally recognised expertise in food safety certification and microbiological method validation.

• Demonstrated ability to lead complex global certification programmes independently.

• Strong, established global network of expert laboratories, KOLs, and leaders of certification organisations.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to adapt messaging for technical, non-technical, internal, and external audiences.

• Strong analytical and statistical problem-solving capabilities.