TITLE: LABORATORY TECHNICIAN 

LOCATION: SAN DIEGO 

STATUS: FULL-TIME, NON-EXEMPT 

REPORTS TO: QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER

THE BIG PICTURE

The Laboratory Technician is responsible for ensuring the quality and reproducibility of our products. They play an active role in analytical and sensory analysis, microbiology, yeast management, lab equipment maintenance, and process improvement. The Laboratory Technicians will report to the QC Manager and will follow procedures established for and approved by Modern Times Beer. Candidates must share Modern Times' commitments to quality, safety, business ethics, and continuous innovation.

THE EVERYDAY VIEW

• Monitor the gravity, pH, temperature, and fermentation analytics of all tanks daily
• Identify and assist in troubleshooting any fermentation issues in a timely manner
• Map out brew schedule based on yeast supply and demand, looking weeks in advance
• Perform daily forced VDK checks
• Perform daily cell counts of yeast slurry
• Communicate yeast counts to brewing and cellar teams to ensure proper pitch rates
• Routinely monitor DO and CO2 of packaged beer off the packaging lines
• Collect and record thorough analytical data on all finished beer and coffee across all Modern Times locations
• Prepare microbiological media, perform sterile sampling, sterile plating, and analysis of microbial growth
• Assist in coordination and participation of sensory program to gather and analyze pertinent sensory data on beer and coffee products
• Design and execute thoughtful experiments around the common goal of product improvement and innovation
• Collect, organize, and periodically restructure all laboratory data, ensuring accuracy, ease of use and accessibility
• Structure and oversee a project management workflow, utilizing Asana (or similar software) as a tool for planning, setting goals, assigning tasks, and documenting any noteworthy investigations
• Analyze product trends at all Modern Times production facilities, identifying areas of improvement and reporting to the Quality department any flaws in consistency
• Expand the Modern Times sensory program by maintaining a trained panel, assigning appropriate tests, fabricating a proper sensory space, and scheduling regular panels to develop new products, determine appropriate shelf-life, reproduce consistent products that are true to target, and remove bias from the decision-making process
• Elevate the educational aspect of the Quality Department by developing and delivering quality-focused presentations, holding 'office hours', mentoring and training both FOH and BOH staff and planning sensory-based flavor literacy for all MT staff
• Stay current on industry trends, research, and events, incorporating interesting and relevant findings into our quest for ongoing improvement
• Perform routine maintenance, calibration, and cleaning of laboratory and brewery equipment
• Be a resource and educator for all staff including front of the house regarding quality questions and concerns
• Keep a tidy and clean laboratory space
• Be a team player and able to interact with all levels within the organization
• Adhere to and enforce all applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations
• Other tasks may be assigned as needed

DESIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Must be 21 years of age or older at the time of application
• Able to pass a post-offer, pre-employment background check
• Strong brewing and fermentation knowledge is a must, ideally through previous professional brewery experience
• Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills required
• Organizational skills with excellent attention to detail
• Strong work ethic and self-starting attitude
• Excellent interpersonal skills and positive demeanor
• Desire to work in a fast-paced, growing company
• Genuine enthusiasm for craft beer

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

• Able to work a flexible schedule, willing to regularly work weekends
• Able to stand for prolonged periods
• Able to stoop, crawl, twist, turn, lift, kneel, climb ladders and stairs
• Able to manipulate valves and clamps
• Able to read and follow written English instructions
• Able to regularly lift/carry 44-pound boxes
• Able to regularly lift/carry 55-pound bags above waist level
• Able to lift/move 165 pounds
• Able to work in a factory/production environment that may be loud, slick, humid, and hot
• Able to work in an indoor and outdoor environment with moderate noise, sometimes slippery floors
• Able to comply with safe chemical handling procedures, including personal protective equipment such as gloves and goggles

APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED UNTIL THE ROLE HAS BEEN FILLED

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND PERKS ELIGIBILITY

• Modern Times is a partially employee-owned company, with 30% of our equity held in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), guaranteeing employees the opportunity to earn equity in the company over time
• Health, Chiropractic & Acupuncture benefits (with a CA-$159.00 per month employer contribution towards any plan)
• Dental benefits (with a 100% employer contribution option)
• Vision benefits (with a 100% employer contribution)
• Life insurance (with a 100% employer contribution)
• Long-term disability (with a 100% employer contribution)
• Unlimited paid time off (pending manager approval)
• Eligible to participate in 401(k)
• Eligible for a 2-month paid sabbatical after 5 years
• Radical beer and coffee perks

Full-time employees become eligible for health benefits on the first 1st after 30 days of employment (For instance, if your start date is May 15th, you'd be eligible for benefits July 1st).

ABOUT MODERN TIMES

Modern Times began as a 30bbl production brewery in the Point Loma neighborhood of San Diego. Modern Times is named after a beautifully crazy utopian community founded in 1850, and many of our beers are named after real utopian experiments or mythological utopias. Today, we're distributed throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, Maui, the Pacific Northwest, and select international markets. We operate a tasting room at the brewery, as well as in San Diego's North Park community, and opened brewery/restaurant locations in Portland, Los Angeles, and Encinitas in 2018, Santa Barbara and Oakland in 2019, and Anaheim in 2020. We brewed our first batch on May 18th, 2013; our beer went on tap for the first time on June 24th, 2013; we held the soft opening for the Lomaland Fermentorium tasting room on August 9th, 2013; and our Grand Opening was September 7th, 2013.

In the summer of 2017, we became California's first-ever employee-owned brewery, with 30% of the company now owned by our employees and the goal of 100% employee ownership in the future. We think that's pretty radical.

Learn more at www.moderntimesbeer.com

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Modern Times Beer strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.