Sanitation & Food Safety Program Specialist, US

DO • Des Plaines, IL

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and highly technical Sanitation & Food Safety Program Specialist, US to join our growing team! This corporate-level role is responsible for advancing and standardizing sanitation programs across DO & CO’s U.S. operations. The ideal candidate is a hands-on food safety professional who can assess complex production environments, identify sanitation and microbiological risks, lead root-cause investigations, and translate technical requirements into practical, sustainable solutions.

About DO & CO
We have a passion for hospitality culinary delights on every elevated floor and in the sky. With our three business segments, Airline Catering, International Event Catering, Restaurants, Lounges & Hotels, we offer gourmet entertainment all over the world. We operate in 33 locations, 12 countries and 3 Continents, maintaining the highest standard of quality in both our products and services. We refine the classics, develop the unknown and grow constantly – sometimes beyond our own expectations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Safety, Biology, Environmental Health, Public Health, Food Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• At least five years of progressive experience in food manufacturing, airline catering, commissary operations, sanitation, food safety, or quality assurance.
• Strong working knowledge of food sanitation, GMPs, HACCP, Environmental Monitoring Programs, sanitation verification, and preventive controls.
• Demonstrated experience conducting sanitation inspections, investigations, root-cause analyses, and corrective-action follow-up.
• Experience identifying microbiological, sanitation, hygienic-design, allergen, and cross-contamination risks in complex food-production environments.
• Strong analytical, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Capable of working independently while effectively influencing and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Willing and able to travel regularly among DO & CO’s U.S. facilities.
• Flexible availability, including early mornings, nights, weekends, and overnight sanitation or pre-operational activities when required.

Nice To Haves

• PCQI certification.
• HACCP certification.
• Registered Sanitarian, Registered Environmental Health Specialist, or equivalent credential.
• Experience working in FDA-regulated food facilities and knowledge of 21 CFR Part 117.
• Experience with Environmental Monitoring Programs, particularly those involving Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes.
• Background in ready-to-eat food manufacturing, airline catering, commissary operations, or other high-volume food-production environments.
• Experience with sanitation chemicals, ATP systems, allergen verification, microbiological sampling, and hygienic design.
• Experience supporting FDA inspections, customer audits, and third-party audits.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical oversight and guidance for sanitation programs across DO & CO’s U.S. facilities.
• Develop, standardize, and continuously improve SSOPs, Master Sanitation Schedules, cleaning procedures, and verification standards.
• Conduct sanitation assessments across production areas, ready-to-eat environments, equipment, coolers, freezers, dishrooms, drains, docks, and waste areas.
• Evaluate cleaning methods, chemicals, concentrations, contact times, equipment, sanitation contractors, and service providers.
• Identify hygienic-design concerns and sanitation vulnerabilities and partner with facility teams to implement sustainable solutions.
• Establish standardized pre-operational inspection and release programs across facilities.
• Conduct independent inspections to verify sanitation effectiveness and production readiness.
• Identify food residue, grease, biofilm risks, standing water, damaged surfaces, inaccessible areas, and other sanitation deficiencies
• Ensure corrective actions are completed and effective before equipment or production areas are released for use.
• Maintain consistent documentation, escalation, and follow-up procedures for significant findings.
• Support the development and continuous improvement of Environmental Monitoring Programs, with particular focus on ready-to-eat and high-risk areas.
• Review sampling plans, locations, frequencies, zoning, ATP results, and environmental trend data.
• Lead or support investigations involving recurring environmental findings or pathogens, including Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes.
• Verify intensified cleaning, resampling, mitigation activities, allergen-cleaning validation, and corrective actions.
• Ensure sanitation tools are properly segregated, dedicated, and color-coded where required.
• Verify the proper selection, concentration, labeling, storage, dispensing, and use of sanitation chemicals.
• Ensure cleaning practices follow manufacturer instructions and established sanitation procedures.
• Evaluate equipment and facilities for harborage points, damaged surfaces, standing water, condensation, deteriorated seals, and other contamination risks.
• Participate in sanitation reviews for new equipment, renovations, construction projects, and process changes.
• Partner with Maintenance, Engineering, Operations, FSQA, chemical suppliers, and facility leadership to resolve sanitation-related deficiencies.
• Review pest-control programs, activity trends, and corrective actions with FSQA and facility leadership.
• Assess waste-handling areas, docks, compactors, recycling areas, and exterior conditions for sanitation and pest risks.
• Verify sanitation procedures supporting Halal segregation and shared-equipment controls.
• Evaluate cleaning and tool-control practices designed to prevent allergen and Halal/non-Halal cross-contact.
• Lead sanitation-related investigations and root-cause analyses.
• Develop risk-based corrective and preventive action recommendations.
• Verify the completion and sustained effectiveness of sanitation CAPAs.
• Identify recurring findings across facilities and recommend long-term, systemic solutions.
• Escalate significant sanitation and food safety risks to FSQA leadership.
• Develop and deliver technical training on SSOPs, GMPs, chemical safety, sanitation verification, environmental pathogen controls, and cross-contamination prevention.
• Coach Sanitation Managers, supervisors, FSQA personnel, Operations teams, and frontline employees.
• Verify training effectiveness through field observations and follow-up assessments.
• Support FDA inspections, customer audits, third-party audits, and internal food safety assessments.
• Assist facilities with regulatory observations, customer findings, CAPAs, and effectiveness verification.
• Promote sanitation as a critical food safety preventive control and shared organizational responsibility.

Benefits

• Complimentary daily meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits for eligible full-time employees.
• 401(k) eligibility for full-time employees.
• A workplace committed to culinary excellence, innovation, and exceptional hospitality.
• Genuine career-development opportunities, both nationally and internationally.
• The opportunity to represent and collaborate with a global leader in luxury gourmet entertainment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior