QUALITY TECHNICIAN

Reports to: Quality Manager

Location: Leeds

Hours: 37.5 per week, over 5 shifts.

Shift Pattern: 5 Shifts per week mostly Monday to Friday with rotating Saturday shifts.

Salary: £23,500 - £26,500

Closing Date: 2nd October

 

THE ROLE:

Northern Monk is focused on delivering the highest level of quality and consistency across the entire business. This crucially starts with the quality of our beer and is a vital element to us achieving our goal - to create the best beer experiences in the world. To be successful in this role you must show a passion and commitment to quality.

This role sits under our Quality Manager at our production facility. In this role, you will have an opportunity to shape the experience for the beer drinker. We are looking for someone who is passionate about beer, knows the importance of attention to detail, well-organised and comfortable working in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are also important, as you will be working closely with all other teams at Northern Monk, especially the production and packaging teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Consistently reinforce quality across all brewing, cellaring and packaging processes and products
  • Responsible for completing analytical checks of key beer quality specs in line with our quality programme (e.g. EBC, pH, ABVs, IBU and gravity)
  • Monitoring fermentations and ensuring optimal yeast performance across generations & multiple yeast strains and mixed cultures. Propagating, counting and pitching yeast.
  • Completing checks on packaging specs of regular and mixed fermentation beers in coordination with the brew and packaging teams
  • Assist with the set-up and execution of sensory panels, analyse sensory data, and report results to management.
  • Ensure lab equipment is always maintained and used properly and that safety procedures and maintenance schedules are upheld
  • Demonstrate a high standard of record keeping and data recording
  • Assist with management of stock and ordering of laboratory consumables
  • Provide reports and analysis as required
  • Maintain standards of health and safety, hygiene and security in the work environment.
  • Maintain and update QC stock of packaged beer and perform relevant analysis
  • Research improvements in equipment, processes, recipes, ingredients and packing materials, etc.
  • Research improvements in equipment, processes, packing materials, etc and keep up to date on relevant changes to legislation.
  • Provide consistent and accurate updates to line manager regarding all areas of work
  • Contribute to team effort by completing other tasks as needed.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Minimum 1 year experience in brewing
  • Experience in a QA setting including brew science, sensory analysis, fermentation analysis, and yeast microbiology.
  • Working knowledge of Microsoft excel & sensory software.
  • Experience in data gathering, analysing data, and making decisions based on stage of fermentation, yeast health & availability, and production schedule.
  • Experience in fault finding and problem solving, great attention to detail and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

 PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Experience working in a brewery – including tracking fermentations, brewing, recipe creation, yeast pitching, beer transfers, and/or packaging.
  • Experience in lab work – including using a microscope, cell counting & viability, using gravity and pH meters, micro plating and gram staining.
  • Minimum of degree in food & beverage science, chemistry, or microbiology
  • Exceptional organizational skills and great attention to detail.