Quality Assurance Laboratory Technician

Lab Technician - Berkeley Yeast - San Jose, CA

Berkeley Yeast is hiring! We are looking for a motivated and detail-oriented laboratory professional, excited about the intersection of beer and cutting edge science, to join our team. This is a full-time salaried position (~40 hours/week; overtime as needed).

Who we are:

We’re Berkeley Yeast, a yeast company using innovative genetic techniques to create novel brewing yeast. We engineer yeast strains to produce flavor and aroma compounds during fermentation (tropical, citrus, floral, herbaceous, dank, spicy, etc.) and to increase performance attributes (decreased off-flavors like diacetyl, faster fermentation, control over flocculation and attenuation), providing brewers with new tools for making better beer. We're working to save brewers time and money and to reduce beer’s impact on the environment.

About the position:

The QA/QC Lab Technician supports the yeast manufacturing side of our company (note: not in the R&D facility) with the primary task of maintaining cell cultures, performing seed trains, pouring plates and plating for contamination, performing fermentation assays, cell enumeration, and maintaining detailed records and logs to be used internally and externally (COAs). The Lab Technician will work in parallel with our propagation and packaging team to ensure that every yeast "pitch" that is shipped meets the highest standards in the industry. Commitment to teamwork, communication, process, sanitation, and sterile/aseptic technique is imperative.

Compensation is commensurate with experience.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Maintaining and propagating yeast cultures (glycerol stock to liter scale)
• Cell/viability counting (microscopy)
• Operation of automated cell counter
• Media preparation (plates and liquid)
• Plating for contamination
• Fermentation assays
• Aseptic sampling
• Cleaning labware and maintaining a clean work environment
• Detailed record keeping
• Safe use of autoclaves
• Root cause analysis
• Invntory

Secondary duties include but are not limited to:

• Cleaning harvest vessels and yeast brinks
• General cleaning of space
• Equipment assembly
• Assisting other departments as needed

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. This is a physically demanding job. An ideal candidate possesses:

• A team-centric attitude and works hard to ensure everyone is succesful
• Ability to work unsupervised while maintaining established safety and quality standards
• Ability to follow SOPs
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative positive attitude
• Exemplary productivity and self-directedness
• Strong focus on efficiency
• Commitment to understanding and supporting yeast quality
• Capacity to manage multiple processes simultaneously
• Ability to execute aseptic practices
• and of course enthusiasm and passion for beer and science!

Requirements:

• Previous lab experience (in a university or industry setting)
• At least 21 years of age
• Computer proficiency: email, documents, spreadsheets, search engines
• Excellent record keeping
• Sunday - Friday availability
• 7am to 3:30 shift
• 9am to 5:30 shift

Desirable experience:

• Root cause analysis
• Knowledge of industrial manufacturing processes
• Brewery experience is highly desirable

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $50,000.00 - $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person