Location: San Luis Obispo, CA (100% on-site)
Employment Type: Full-Time, Salary Exempt

About Us

We are an early-stage wine/beverage industry startup bolting a dedicated custom crush facility onto one of the state’s foremost mobile packaging businesses. Today, the company consists of two highly reputable operator-partners. Over the next 12 months, we expect to grow to a team of approximately 10-12 full-time employees with additional growth to follow.

We are looking for a winery/beverage laboratory professional who wants to build a durable laboratory/quality control infrastructure from the ground up and grow with the business.

We are (and you should be) unapologetically hardworking, believe that the impossible simply takes just a bit more time, and dedicated to running a highly successful, employee-first business renowned for the highest quality product(s) and services to both our customers and our employees.

The Role

As a foundational hire, the Laboratory Manager will be responsible for instituting, installing, and owning day-to-day laboratory and quality control operations. The role necessitates a strong understanding of wine and beverage production, chemistry, wine and beverage analysis, and team leadership. Newly acquired laboratory equipment (Spica auto-analyzer, Flash2 auto-titrator, and Anton Parr Alcolyzer) will serve as the tools, but you will need to bring the knowledge and drive to develop a laboratory with a reputation for accuracy and attention to detail. Leadership and employee oversight are key, as hiring, teaching, and training of seasonal support will be of paramount importance. Creating and managing laboratory budgets and profitability are key objectives.

While laboratory operations is the core focus, this is a small team. The person in this role should be comfortable supporting all manner of yet-to-be identified tasks as the business gets up and running. Hours are variable, especially during harvest months, when flexibility and availability are mandatory.
The role is customer facing. You should be comfortable spending time and interacting with clients. You are the first line of defense regarding wine-safety, and will be expected to tend diligently to client inquiries and needs. Experience tells us that clients thrive when they view our team as trusted partners. You should endeavor to build strong, highly professional, and communicative relationships with our clientele.

Overall

Utilize expertise, knowledge, and experience and take ownership of laboratory start up.
Own the Laboratory - top to bottom - Start-up, establish, maintain, and manage a highly reputable wine/beverage laboratory from day one.
Be a leader and staunch driver of the highest attention to detail across all winery activities - laboratory analysis, winery sanitation, packaging QC, and more.
Create and manage laboratory budgets and assure business unit profitability.

Analytical & Testing Responsibilities

Design, implement, and oversee the laboratory analysis program for grapes, juice, fermenting must, and finished products. Review and interpret advanced chemical analysis data to guide high-level winemaking decisions.
Develop, enforce, and audit quality control protocols for the bottling/packaging line and cellar sanitation. Investigate QC deviations and mandate corrective actions to ensure total product integrity.
Prepare and coordinate fining trials, blending trials, and tasting bench preparations for the winemaking team.

Laboratory Management & Operations

Institute and devise laboratory protocols, timelines, record keeping systems and overall laboratory SOPs.
Oversee daily laboratory operations to ensure accurate, timely, and efficient sample processing.
Manage the laboratory’s analytical instrumentation, including validating calibration protocols, developing maintenance schedules, and coordinating with external vendors for advanced troubleshooting
Manage laboratory inventory, including forecasting and ordering chemicals, reagents, and supplies within the allocated budget.
Hire, train, schedule, and supervise lab staff and seasonal harvest technicians.

Quality Assurance & Data Management

Setup, monitor, and ensure all analytical results are recorded in the winery's production database (Vintrace).
Collaborate with the winemaking team to interpret data, identify chemical trends, and recommend corrective actions.
Develop, implement, and regularly update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all laboratory protocols.
Ensure absolute compliance with all laboratory safety regulations, OSHA standards, and winery sanitation protocols.

Client/Employee Relations & Performance

Be the face of quality and accuracy for our business - interact and inform clients, staying ahead of wine health and assuring client confidence.
Support leadership on employee relations matters, discipline, and documentation
Ensure fair, consistent, and compliant people practices
Foster a high morale, people-first, positive workplace

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Enology, Fermentation Science, Chemistry, or related sciences.
5-8 years hands-on winery/beverage facility laboratory experience, including harvest cycle leadership.
Strong understanding of winery workflows, quality control points, wine chemistry, and laboratory operations.
Proven success in a fast-paced production environment.
Proven people leader and team player.
Incredibly positive, can-do attitude and infectious enthusiasm - every day.
Insanely organized.

Bonus Points

Familiarity with Vintrace winery software.
Familiarity with:
Admeo Spica Automated Enzymatic Analyzer
Admeo Flash2 Auto-Titrator
Anton Parr Alcolyzer

What We Offer

Compensation: $72,000-$85,000 per year, DOE
Classification: Salary; Exempt
Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k)
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA (100% On Site)