About Us
Union Wine Company is a community-oriented industrial winery in Tualatin, Oregon. We care more about the wine you drink than the glass you drink it in; no white tablecloths here. Fussiness bores us. Innovation excites us. Bringing great wine - whether in bottles or cans - to the table, picnic blanket, or chairlift is what drives us each and every day.
We're a close-knit team that operates on a simple set of values: work hard, be kind, laugh often, be responsible, act with honesty and integrity, don't take yourself too seriously, and treat others with respect. We have a huge amount of respect for our planet and the bounty it gives us year-in and year-out. Union Wine Co. is LIVE certified, our Amity Vineyard is Salmon Safe, we volunteer time annually to clean a section of the Clackamas River, and we're a certified B Corp. If you care about the planet, you'll be in good company at Union. Situated between Portland and the Willamette Valley wine country, our warehouse-winery (affectionately known as the Industrial Chateau) has grown from a scrappy little operation into a well-oiled 3,500-ton winery. Our brands include Underwood, Kings Ridge, Christopher Michael, Alchemist, and Amity Vineyards.

About the Role
Harvest is organized chaos, and the Small Lots Harvest Winemaker is at the center of it. This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for overseeing the small lots program from fruit receipt through fermentation - making daily winemaking decisions, managing a team, and keeping everything running safely, cleanly, and on schedule. You'll work closely with the Winemaking team and coordinate daily with big lots shift leads, so strong communication is non-negotiable.
This role runs from mid-August through the end of November.

Responsibilities

Staff Supervision
•  Ensure small lots staff is operating safely and following Union Wine Company policies at all times.
•  Delegate tasks and work orders to staff, keeping the crew focused and on task.
•  Direct cap management for each shift.
•  Ensure tanks on cold soak are evaluated and maintained with dry ice/inert gas.
•  Consult with the Winemaking team and make daily priority recommendations.
•  Provide feedback and coaching to small lots staff as needed, and to big lots staff where appropriate.
•  Coordinate with big lots shift leads on equipment, staff, and forklift needs.
•  Ensure the team is completing opening and closing responsibilities.
•  Ensure crew is properly sanitizing parts, tanks, and lines, cleaning and putting away dirty parts at end of day.
•  Keep tabs on team morale and efficiency.
•  Ensure samples are properly collected and make it to the lab.
•  Bring any HR issues to the Winemaking team and/or HR as appropriate.

Winemaking & Logistics
•  Review incoming fruit deliveries each day and coordinate with the Winemaking team on tank allocation based on tonnage, especially when actual tonnage differs from what was expected.
•  Ensure processing is occurring to plan: that the press operator is making appropriate press cuts and that all crush instructions are being followed.
•  Verify press yields against expectations and communicate discrepancies to Winemaking team.
•  Check tank tops for faults and fermentation progress at least once daily and promptly communicate and take steps to resolve any issues.
•  Taste wines daily and review lab analysis to confirm ferments are progressing well; work with the Winemaking team on cap management and press decisions.
•  Monitor tank temperatures and glycol connections to ensure each tank is set to the appropriate temperature and connected to the correct glycol for manually-controlled tanks.

Administration
•  Ensure fruit is properly weighed in and documented.
•  Issue, review, and complete work orders; ensure small lots staff is submitting work orders accurately and on time.
•  Ensure small lots staff is capturing and submitting KPIs.
•  Review and approve staff timecards.
•  Work with the Winemaking team to set and adjust small lots staff schedules as needed.
•  Send a daily pass-off email to the Winemaking team and shift leads to maintain clear, seamless communication.

Facility & Maintenance
•  Confirm tanks with juice or wine have lids with functioning gaskets, and troubleshoot minor issues as they arise, communicating more significant issues so they can be addressed.
•  Regularly check glycol fittings, hoses, and drops for leaks; make minor repairs or submit requests as needed.
•  Ensure barrels are properly cleaned, steamed, filled, labeled, and stored.
•  Keep ground, valves, and drain baskets free of major spills and excess debris after tasks are completed - no lees down the drains.
•  Communicate any maintenance issues to the Winemaking team and Facilities Manager.

Minimum Requirements
•  At least 2 years of full-time cellar work
•  At least 3 harvests of experience
•  Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
•  Strong computer skills, including experience with winery software
•  Demonstrated ability to supervise staff and lead a team
•  Ability to lift 50 lbs
•  Quick learner who can adapt to new systems and collaborate across teams
•  Ability to remain calm under pressure, because things will get chaotic, and that's the fun part

Other Duties
This job description is not designed to cover a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties and activities may change at any time with or without notice.