Quality Control Technician

LabTalent seeks a Quality Control Technician for our client in Clarksburg, CA. The Quality Control Technician position is responsible for performing routine tasks and accurate laboratory analysis, to ensure the highest quality of our client's bottled wines. This position will be responsible for analyzing finished wine in preparation for bottling and performing bottling line checks. Quality Control Technicians will also help the Enology lab with unfinished wines when time permits and are required to help during harvest. This position is on a 4×10 alternative schedule but may require occasional schedule changes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Maintain daily records of calibrations and standardizations of lab equipment and reagents
• Prepare ready-to-bottle wine tanks for approval and finished bottle analysis, while ensuring accurate results
• Inspect for proper function of all production line and bottling techniques
• Perform routinely scheduled bottling line audits including but not limited to:
  • Verify correct materials are brought to the line
  • Ensure wine is within Winemaker and TTB specifications
  • o Inspect the bottling line area for cleanliness
  • o Monitor wine temperature and oxygen from tank to bottle
  • o Check the vacuum in the bottle, fill levels and headspace, closure placement and integrity, and removal torques
  • o Inspect incoming glass, label placement, case and pallet labels, weights, and pallet formations, amongst other packaging checks
• Microbiology monitoring including swabbing and finished bottle plating
• Maintain the necessary documentation for line checks with detailed records
• Compile inspection records and generate non-Conforming Product reports when necessary
• Perform audits of finished goods and record results of inspections
• Maintain and organize bottle library
• May assist other departments and suppliers with special projects and problem-resolution
• Adheres to applicable procedures as they relate to the Quality Control Department
• Helps oversee rework projects
• Ability to help the laboratory during harvest with sample pulling and accurately perform and report all analyses for review in accordance with SOPs

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: Bachelor’s in related field preferred or college-level courses in food science and/or chemistry preferred.
• Experience: One or more years working in a lab environment or beverage and food production
• Must be able to read and write English and have excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Knowledge of laboratory analysis and methodology
• Understanding of GMPs and SDS
• Ability to work with Microsoft Office (Winemaker Data Base knowledge is a plus)
• Must be quality focused, detail oriented, and reliable
• Must be team oriented and willing to assist others
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and analytical skills
• Ability to prioritize activities on an ongoing basis depending on changing conditions
• Valid CA Driver’s License and must be insurable by the company’s insurance provider
• Must be flexible with occasional schedule changes

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be flexible with shift changes and work long hours as needed and during harvest
• May be asked to work in all types of weather conditions
• Must be comfortable with heights
• Must be able to adhere to all PPE requirements
• Must be able to stand for long periods of time
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 55lbs.