Food Safety Specialist II

At Sprouts, our commitment to helping people live and eat better begins with ensuring the safety, quality, and cleanliness of our stores. As a Food Safety Specialist II- Pest Control, you will serve as the primary internal stakeholder and program coordinator for enterprise-wide pest management, sanitation compliance, and environmental health initiatives across all retail locations. 

In this role, you will own the pest management program, including the escalation protocols, pest vendor relationships, and program governance. You will coordinate cross-functional working groups, lead escalation response efforts, and drive continuous improvement in pest prevention and sanitation standards. You will collaborate closely with store operations, StoreCare, Food Safety, Supply Chain, and external pest management vendors to ensure consistent execution and measurable results. 

Success in this role requires knowledge in integrated pest management principles, strong vendor management capabilities, and the ability to analyze trends and implement data-driven solutions across a multi-location retail environment. 

At Sprouts, our values guide everything we do: 

• Own It– working as a team to deliver excellence in all we do and celebrate our successes. 
• Love Being Different– creating a unique experience for our customers through diverse team members and products. 
• Care– for each other, our customers, and the planet. 

Position reports into our Store Support Office in Phoenix with 50% travel to stores bi-weekly

Key Responsibilities:

• Own enterprise pest management strategy, escalation protocols, and program governance, serving as the primary internal coordinator for all pest-related initiatives.
• Manage relationships with pest management providers, including SLA monitoring, proposing SOW amendments, and accountability for service delivery.
• Lead escalation response for Level I, II, and III pest incidents, including coordination of daily/weekly pest calls, documentation, communication, and issue closure authorization.
• Coordinate cross-functional working group activities and prepare Steering Committee updates on pest trends, DOH reports, and program performance.
• Own SmartSheet tracking for pest escalations, exclusion work coordination with StoreCare, and sanitation compliance; maintain ServiceChannel work order follow-up for pest and exclusion issues.
• Generate and distribute updates for Level III escalations, weekly executive summary reports, monthly trend analyses, and lead Quarterly Business Review preparation in conjunction with Pest Provider.
• Review and analyze Department of Health inspection reports; identify trends, recurring issues, and coordinate remediation with store managers.
• Review third-party food safety audit results related to pest and sanitation criteria; prioritize action items and track resolution.
• Trigger and coordinate emergency deep cleaning with third-party contractors if needed; monitor sanitation compliance during escalation periods.
• Manage distribution center pest control program, including provider coordination, reporting, and audits.
• Advise on pest-related store closures and food disposal protocols; coordinate Health Department notification responses.
• Author and maintain pest prevention guides for Design/Construction; define pest exclusion checklists for new store builds and renovations.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Public Health, Environmental Health, or a related field; equivalent experience considered
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in food safety, quality assurance, or regulatory compliance within a grocery, retail, or foodservice environment
• HACCP certification required; CP-FS certification preferred (or willingness to obtain)
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, FDA Food Code, and relevant local/state regulatory requirements
• Strong understanding of in-store operations, especially in perishable departments (produce, meat, deli, bakery)
• Proven problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities with effective time management in high-demand environments
• Strong collaboration and communication skills with the ability to support and influence operational teams Ability to design and deliver effective training materials and SOPs using adult learning principles.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook); experience with audit or compliance software is a plus

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand, walk, and conduct physical audits in active retail environments
• Must be able to travel regularly to stores; some overnight travel may be required
• Able to lift and move objects up to 40 lbs

• Willingness to work in varying environmental conditions including cold storage and food prep areas

Ideal Candidate Attributes:

• Collaborative team player with strong interpersonal skills
• Detail-oriented and dependable in fast-paced operational settings
• Passionate about promoting safe food practices and continuous improvement
• Driven to support and enhance customer trust in our brand

#LI-MS1

In addition to a rewarding career, Sprouts offers a comprehensive program to help support you and your family. These programs include:

• Competitive pay
• Sick time plan that you can use to support you or your immediate families health
• Vacation accrual plan
• Opportunities for career growth
• 15% discount for you and one other family member in your household on all purchases made at Sprouts
• Flexible schedules
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401(K) Retirement savings plan with a generous company match
• Company paid life insurance
• Contests and appreciation events throughout the year full of prizes, food and fun!

Eligibility requirements may apply for the following benefits:

• Bonus based on company and/or individual performance
• Affordable benefit coverage, including medical, dental and vision
• Health Savings Account with company match
• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care
• Company paid short-term disability coverage
• Paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers
• Paid holidays

Get Paid Every Day!

Sprouts Farmers Market offers DailyPay - if you’re hired as an eligible employee, you’ll be able to transfer the money you’ve already earned at no extra cost, and get it the next business day, for free.  We offer DailyPay so you don’t have to wait for payday to access the money you’ve already worked for. With DailyPay, you can see how much you’ve made every day and you can transfer your money any time before payday.

 You can learn more by visiting https://www.dailypay.com/partners/sprouts-farmers-market/.

Grow with us!

If you have a passion for inspiring people and a flair for fresh food, consider applying for a job at Sprouts! With a focus on customer service, our neighborhood grocery stores offer high-quality, farm fresh produce, natural meats, plenty of scoop-your-own bulk goods and much more in a fun, friendly, old-fashioned farmer’s market setting.  Come grow your career in healthy living with a fast-paced, rapidly growing company and teams that pride themselves on empowering others along their journey.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Sprouts’ management reserves the right to amend and change duties, responsibilities, and requirements to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

Sprouts will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance.

California Residents: We collect information in accordance with California law, please see here for more information.