QC Technician

Fiddlehead Brewing Company is a brewer owned business. The business has a simple approach: make great beer, insist on quality, hire passionate people, and ensure the beer is fresh on tap or in a cooler near you. Available in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, Fiddlehead ended 2023 as the 28th largest producer of craft beer in the country and in 2024 we produced more than 100,000 barrels of beer. In 2022, Fiddlehead was awarded Brewbound's Craft Brewery of the Year.

As our growth continues at a swift pace, we are hiring a new QC Technician to join to our Quality Team.

EEssential Responsibilities:

Including, but not limited to the following:

• Follow established guidelines to analyze and ensure the consistency, quality, and continuous improvement of all in-process and finished Fiddlehead products through sampling for IBU, color, ABV, gravity, microbiological, and sensory conformity, etc.
• Support other teams through training, maintenance, troubleshooting, and use of oxygen and carbon dioxide analytical equipment, container integrity testing, turbidity measurements, yeast management, microbiological, and sensory conformity, etc.
• Perform microbiology tasks such as media preparation, sample plating, PCR, equipment sterilization, microscopy, etc.
• Test raw materials to ensure in spec with Fiddlehead standards
• Ensure lab data is actionable and concerns are communicated as needed for out-of-spec results
• Support sensory program through maintenance of sample collection and beer library, helping set up panels, and participating in panels as necessary
• Adhering to all safety regulations at all times and working to improve the safety of workspaces
• Perform all necessary record-keeping
• Maintain a clean and organized working environment
• Work with QC Manager and Head Brewer to set specs for each style to ensure consistency
• Opportunity to participate in safety and sensory teams

This position is full-time (40-hours/week) 4/5 days a week and may at times require a flexible schedule. QC Technicians report to the QC Manager, and are essential in ensuring the integrity of Fiddlehead products from grain to glass.

Leveling available within the Technician role based on industry experience and responsibility level.

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline (e.g. chemistry, biology, microbiology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, etc.)
• 1 years of full-time wet lab experience
• Experience with laboratory scales, pH meters, microscopes, and pipetting
• Be at least 21 years of age
• Ability to effectively handle multiple demands and rapid change
• Skilled in thinking critically and problem solving
• Excellent skills in communicating with a variety of audiences, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to work safely in a wet, noisy, and non-temperature-controlled environment
• Ability to stoop, squat, kneel, crawl, and climb ladders for purposes of collecting samples, gathering data, and cleaning
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs

Preferred Qualifications:

• Food and beverage industry lab experience or prior experience in the craft beer industry
• Experience with: beer alcolyzer, spectrophotometer, orbisphere, gehaltemeter, distillation apparatus, sterile sampling and plating, PCR, gram staining, etc.
• Experience with brewing and fermentation processes
• Experience working in a GMP environment
• Experience with food safety principles
• Advanced spreadsheet usage (Excel, Google Sheets)

Fiddlehead Brewing Company values diversity and promotes an inclusive environment. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and any other characteristics protected by federal, state or local laws.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift

Application Question(s):

• Tell us about why you are interested in working at Fiddlehead Brewing Company.

Work Location: In person