Quality Assurance Position

[Wtressler]

Hinterland Brewery holds itself to the highest quality standards. We are looking for a bright, self-motivated individual with a great work ethic and attention to detail to support and maintain our stellar quality standards. This employee must be a hard-working, responsible, and self-motivated individual with a passion for craft beer and a desire to continue learning and growing within the industry. The candidate must be someone who leads by example in following procedure and policy, is proactive and helps to maintain the highest standards of employee performance in the brewhouse. The candidate needs to be ready to be flexible in their schedule and be available to work long hours if needed to get projects done and meet production schedules. The candidate should also be a sociable person who is comfortable occasionally representing the brewery in public. Natural leadership, integrity, loyalty and a good sense of humor are all factors in who we hire.

Full-time benefits include health insurance, paid time off, Simple IRA, employee discounts and more as outlined in the employee handbook.

This position includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Daily fermentation monitoring, including gravities, yeast cell counts/viability/vitality, temperature monitoring and adjustment, sensory testing for VDK, acetaldehyde, etc.
• Analysis of packaging including monitoring of dissolved gases, TPO, and fill level analysis
• Sensory analysis on all brands at different production stages
• Microbiology testing including sample collection, cell culture, filter plating, PCR
• Coordination of sample collection and analysis for all testing methods, both for routine analysis as well as for troubleshooting/projects. Take appropriate action based on the data collected.
• Analytical chemistry routine testing and method development, including ABV/SRM/IBU analysis
• Yeast collection and management
• Examination and maintenance of bottler and canner valves and diaphragm pump
• Regular, standardized reporting of data to relevant departments to drive improvements
• Maintain calibration and proper operation of lab equipment, ensure accuracy of and help develop SOPs
• Independently initiate and manage projects to improve quality/consistency and brewery processes
• Effectively work with other departments to identify and implement quality improvement efforts
• Help identify, troubleshoot, and document real-time quality issues in a fast-paced environment
• Follow SOP and practice all Brewery Safety Procedures – safely, efficiently, and effectively work to attain department and brewery goals and objectives
• Must be flexible and willing to work weekends
• Train existing personnel in new lab practices and procedures
• Train employees from different departments in various QA related tasks
• Assist with scheduling for yeast planning
• Plan, schedule, and coordinate all lab activities
• Drive quality and efficiency in the lab and work to improve lab processes

The ideal candidate for this position would possess:

• College degree in Science (Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Food Science).
• Working brewing knowledge and/or certification from an accredited institution (IBD, UC Davis, etc.)
• QA/QC laboratory experience in an applicable field
• The ability to work effectively, both independently and as a team
• Is self-motivated and thrives in a fast-paced environment
• Extremely strong project management skills with a propensity for enacting positive change
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills
• Loves to work hard and have fun!

Physical requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to frequently sit, stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl
• Heavy physical work including climbing stairs, climbing into tanks, pulling hoses, etc.
• Willing to work in wet, hot and cold conditions
• Willing to work in consistently loud environments
• Ability to work safely with potentially hazardous chemicals
• Ability to frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 75 lbs