Cellar Operator

Funky Buddha Brewery, located in Oakland Park, Florida, is seeking a full-time Cellar Operator to join its growing team. Established in 2010 at its Boca Raton brewpub, Funky Buddha is known for pushing the boundaries of traditional brewing methods with culinary-inspired recipes utilizing all-natural, food-centric ingredients. Some of its best-known beers include flagships Hop Gun IPA and Floridian Hefeweizen.  This fast-growing company is the first production brewery in the greater Fort Lauderdale area and the largest brewery in South Florida and is positioned for rapid expansion over the next few years.

“Where the Best Beers Are – Top 20 Brewpubs/Breweries for good beer” – USA Today “25 Breweries to Know” – Draft Magazine “10 Best Breweries to Visit in the South” – First We Feast

JOB DESCRIPTION

The cellar operator is responsible for all aspects of processes related to fermentation, conditioning, treatment, clarification, carbonation, and any other processes required to achieve a final consistent product ready for packaging. The cellar operator must be a hard- working, responsible, and self-motivated individual with a passion for craft beer and a desire to continue learning and growing within the industry. The cellar operator should also be a sociable person who is comfortable occasionally representing the brewery in public. Cellar operator tasks involve physical, mechanical and problem-solving work so these skills are highly preferred. Also, Cellar department is responsible from most beer middle and end stage related tasks, so operator must be able to multitask through different processes in a fast-passed and fast-changing environment.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assistance with yeast handling and management
• Cellaring duties including fermentation management
• CIP (clean-in-place) of brewing and fermentation tanks, and other equipment
• Operation of centrifuge and plate filter for beer clarification
• Careful execution of treatment plans for specialty beers
• Maintain proper record keeping practices by logging product related notes from brew day through fermentation, finishing, and packaging
• Following SOP (standard operating procedure) in each phase of fermentation, clarification, carbonation and packaging
• Operation of flash pasteurizer
• Maintaining sanitary practices in all aspects of beer processing
• Executing preventative maintenance on all brewhouse and cellar equipment
• Preparation, filling, transfer of beer from liquor and wine barrels
• Assistance with lab testing and other Quality Assurance activities
• Updates job knowledge by participating in staff training opportunities

• This list is not exhaustive and job functions are subject to change to accommodate changing business needs

SUPPORTIVE FUNCTIONS

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the supervisor based upon the particular requirements of the company.

• Assist Brewery Operations Manager with any necessary production duties.
• Assist in any other special duties associated with beer production.
• Assist any other special duties associated with quality checks.
• May be asked to assist with other duties and special projects throughout the Brewery

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Near Vision Constant

Far Vision Constant

Hearing Constant

Talking Constant

Sitting Frequent

Walking Frequent

Computer Use Frequent

Crouching, Bending, Stooping Frequent

Reaching Occasional

Grasping Occasional

Pushing/Pulling Occasional

Lifting/Carrying up to 55 lbs Occasional

Climbing Stairs Occasional

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

OSHA laws require the use of the following Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when performing work duties that have the potential of risk to your health or safety:

• Safety goggles when walking through the Production area
• Steel Toe rubber boots
• Hearing Protection in loud environments

• Safety gloves when handling industrial strength chemicals

Employees will be trained in the proper use and care of assigned PPE.  Funky Buddha Brewery provides the required PPE.  It is your responsibility to report defective, damaged or lost PPE, or equipment that does not fit properly to your Manager.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

No positions directly report to this position.

SPECIFIC JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

• A strong passion for brewing and a desire to advance personal growth in the brewing industry
• Some understanding of brewing aspects, including cellaring, yeast handling, CIP, and sanitization
• Strong organizational habits, a self-motivated work ethic, and good critical thinking/problem solving skills
• Flexibility in terms of hours and a willingness to work night shifts, weekends, and overtime
• Computer literate with some understanding of Microsoft Office/spreadsheet programs
• Ability to work safely with hazardous chemicals
• Ability to work safely in a wet, noisy, and non-temperature-controlled environment
• Ability to work safely in confined spaces and around complex machinery
• Ability to stoop, squat, kneel, and crawl for purposes of collecting samples, gathering data, and cleaning
• Ability to work independently on multiple projects at one time, maintaining attention to detail with each project
• Ability to meet production, quality and safety standards
• An understanding of operational structure and system variables such as pressure, temperature and flow is preferred
• Ability to problem-solve or understand mechanical failures related to brewing system is preferred
• Open mind for cross-training and covering other department’s tasks related to beer production and quality

QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

EDUCATION

Four-year college degree in natural sciences (e.g., microbiology, biochemistry, food science, engineering, etc.) preferred.

EXPERIENCE

Minimum of one-year experience in a commercial production on operations, brewery or high-volume brew pub required.

An understanding of quality assurance (QA) methods and techniques, laboratory operations, and basic knowledge of chemistry and biology preferred.

Prior packaging, bottling, and racking experience preferred.

Mechanical experience and aptitude preferred.

Forklift operation or certification preferred.

LICENSES OR CERTIFICATES

No special licenses or certificates required.

GROOMING

All employees must maintain a neat, clean and well-groomed appearance.

Integrity, loyalty and a good sense of humor are all factors in who we hire.  We are a rapidly expanding company with growth potential within.

Funky Buddha Brewery is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

If you think you have what it takes to join this exciting and growing company, please apply here. Calls, letters, faxes, carrier pigeon, or personal visits will not be accepted.

By applying to this job, I certify that all information represented by me in this employment application is true, correct and complete to the best of my knowledge. I agree and understand that any falsification, omission or misrepresentation of information is grounds for withdrawal of an offer of employment and may result in my dismissal if discovered at a later date and I agree that Funky Buddha Brewery shall not be liable, in any respect, if any resulting employment is terminated because of misstatements or omissions made by me in this application.