Hema Kunchum

Experienced Senior Microbiologist with a demonstrated history of working in the food & beverages industry. 8 yrs experience in food laboratory testing and quality control. Skilled in method validations, equipment maintenance, internal audits, managing non conformances, Customer complaint and Customer Service.

I am passionate about working with food and water microbiology and determining the quality thereof. I am initiative, results oriented, self-motivated and perform well under pressure.

Senior Microbiologist – Quality (March 2019 – Feb 2021)

Company: Merieux Nutrisciences

Location: Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Responsibilities

Responsible for quality and accountable to implement, maintain and see to the adherence of the quality policies, procedures and operational quality functions.

 Implementing, maintaining and overseeing the adherence to internal quality policies as per the

ISO 17025 standard and global quality standard/requirements.

 Scheduling and completion of regular internal audits of the microbiology laboratory, as well as preparation for external audits.

 Investigating and reporting of customer complaints and non-conformances followed afterwards to ensure that implemented corrective actions are effective and adhered to

 Accountable to coordinate and see to it that all quality requirements are met by analysts for the revalidation of existing test methods as well as the validation of new test methods, or changes to existing methods

 Overseeing training records all laboratory staff and see to it that new and existing staff are signed off competent for any new or revised policies or procedures, test methods and corrective actions.

 Preparation, documenting and reviewing of laboratory process control and control charts.

 Responsible for the proficiency testing programme which includes the ordering, preparation of the schedule, submission or results and reviewing or the performance of the laboratory.

 Reconstitution, preparation and maintenance of reference stock cultures.

 Environment monitoring - using Enviromap

 Supervising laboratory day to day activities

Quality Co-ordinator (September 2010 to August 2014)

Company: Swift Silliker PVT LTD.,

Location: Midrand, Johannessburg, South Africa

Responsibilities

 Training new staff for testing samples, plate counting and Identification.

 Reports - Entering results of test in log book or computer; completing test result form to be sent to person or agency that submitted specimen or sample and notifies supervisor immediately in cases of significant positive test results; completes daily and monthly reports including number and types of tests performed and number of positive findings;

maintaining accurate and up-to-date records detailing quality control procedures used in all tests.

 Verifying and certifying test reports as SANAS approved technical signatory.

 Conducting Witnessing audits on Microbiologists performing testing

 Conducting Vertical audits on Test reports targeting on requirements met as per SANAS.

 Preparation of Quality control sample and analysing the daily results and charts.

 Assisting lab manager in preparation of audits and to meet ISO 17025.

 Conducting meetings with lab staff to improve Quality control.

 Conducting seminars on different topics to improve quality in the lab.

 Customer complaint investigations and Corrective actions

 Client liason on testing methods and audits

Microbiologist (August 2009 – August 2010)

Company: Swift Micro laboratories PVT LTD.,

Location: Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Responsibilities

Research Assistant (2005 to 2006)

Company: SV agricultural campus, All india citrus research project

 Performing tests on different samples as per the lab procedures

 Confirmations by API’s

 Performing Validation as per the procedures given by Senior microbiologist.

 Plate counting and results uploading on to LIMS software

 Reports reviewing and certifying

 Acted as SANAS approved technical signatory

 Performing all the staining techniques.

 Studying Morphological characters, colony characters and Biochemcial

 characters.

 Performing dual cultural studies

 Isolation of Proteins using Electrophoresis.

 Performing SDS-PAGE Electrophoresis to isolate isoenzymes.

 Isolation of Plant DNA’s, Fungal DNA’s and Viral DNA’s.

 Performing RT-PCR and RAPD.

 Reporting the results to the principal investigator.

 Maintaining Test result reports and documenting all the results.

 Preparation of documents to publish in to the journals.

 Training Post graduate students for the project works and Thesis works.

Education Qu

Mphil., General Microbiology from Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu in 2005

 MSc., General Microbiology from Bangalore University, Bangalore, India in 2004

 Bsc., General Microbiology from Sri Venkateswara University, A P, India in 2002

Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications (P.G.D.C.A) from Bitech computers, India - 2003

 Qualified in ISEB (information systems examinations Board) in July 2008.

 Certified South African Qualification authority (SAQA) in February 2008.

 Certified in SANAS approved technical signatory in 2010.

 Certified in SANAS audit programming in 2014