Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Kombucha Engineer

🎯 Role Definition

As a Kombucha Engineer, you are the heart and soul of our production process. This is not just a brewing job; it's a unique fusion of science, craft, and engineering. You will be the master of our fermentation, the guardian of our SCOBY, and the innovator behind our next best-selling flavor. You will apply engineering principles to optimize, scale, and ensure the consistent quality of our kombucha. This role requires a deep understanding of microbiology, a passion for process improvement, and a hands-on approach to creating exceptional fermented beverages. You will be instrumental in driving our production forward, ensuring every bottle meets our rigorous standards for taste, quality, and safety.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Fermentation Specialist or Scientist
Assistant Brewer or Cellar Person (Beer, Wine, or Kombucha)
Quality Control Technician in the Food & Beverage industry
Process Technician from a CPG manufacturing environment

Advancement To:

Head of Brewing Operations or Brewmaster
Research & Development Manager
Quality Assurance Director
Plant or Production Manager

Lateral Moves:

Quality Control Manager
Process Improvement Engineer
Supply Chain Specialist (Raw Materials & Ingredients)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Oversee the end-to-end kombucha production lifecycle, from raw material receiving and tea brewing to fermentation, flavoring, and final carbonation.
Meticulously manage the health, propagation, and generational rotation of our vital SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) and starter liquid to ensure batch-to-batch consistency.
Operate, monitor, and maintain a wide range of production equipment, including large-scale fermenters, brite tanks, pumps, filtration systems, and carbonation rigs.
Develop, implement, and rigorously enforce sanitation protocols, including comprehensive Clean-in-Place (CIP) and Sanitize-in-Place (SIP) procedures for all vessels and transfer lines.
Champion our Quality Control program by performing critical in-process checks, including pH, Brix, temperature, and titratable acidity, ensuring all parameters meet our strict specifications.
Lead sensory analysis panels for every batch, evaluating flavor, aroma, mouthfeel, and appearance to guarantee the finished product aligns with our brand's gold standard.
Maintain impeccable and audit-ready production records, batch logs, and fermentation data, ensuring full traceability and compliance with food safety regulations.
Drive the research and development pipeline for new products, experimenting with novel ingredients, tea blends, yeast strains, and fermentation techniques.
Troubleshoot and resolve any production process deviations in real-time, applying strong problem-solving skills to diagnose root causes and implement effective corrective actions.
Ensure all production activities are executed in strict adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), HACCP plans, and OSHA safety standards.
Manage the inventory of all brewing ingredients, including teas, sugars, flavorings, and processing aids, coordinating with the supply chain team to prevent shortages.
Conduct routine laboratory analysis, including microbiological screening, alcohol content testing (using an alcolyzer), and other scientific assays to validate product quality and safety.
Lead the successful scaling of new recipes from small pilot batches to full-scale production, developing processes that maintain product integrity and consistency at volume.
Train, mentor, and develop junior production staff, fostering a culture of quality, safety, and continuous improvement on the brewery floor.
Collaborate with the maintenance team to establish and execute a preventative maintenance schedule for all critical brewing and cellar equipment to minimize downtime.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to uncover insights into fermentation kinetics, yield optimization, and ingredient performance.
Contribute to the organization's broader data strategy and roadmap by identifying key metrics and data points that drive operational excellence in brewing.
Collaborate with business units, including marketing and sales, to translate new product concepts and consumer feedback into actionable engineering and R&D requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the cross-functional product development and operations teams, providing technical expertise on production feasibility and timelines.
Author and continuously update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all production processes, ensuring documentation is clear, concise, and accessible.
Investigate and recommend new technologies, equipment, and methodologies that can enhance production efficiency, improve product quality, and reduce operational costs.
Act as a subject matter expert during regulatory audits (e.g., FDA, Organic) and third-party inspections, clearly articulating our processes and quality systems.
Engage in continuous improvement projects using methodologies like Lean or Six Sigma to systematically reduce waste, optimize workflows, and increase throughput.
Assist in developing cost models for new and existing products, providing accurate data on material usage, labor, and processing time.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Fermentation Science: Deep, practical knowledge of microbial processes, SCOBY health management, and the biochemical transformations during kombucha fermentation.
HACCP & Food Safety: Certified or highly experienced in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, GMPs, and creating a food-safe production environment.
Quality Control & Assurance: Proficiency in laboratory procedures, sensory evaluation techniques, and using measurement instruments (pH meter, refractometer, alcolyzer).
Process Engineering & Scaling: Demonstrated ability to design, optimize, and scale beverage production processes from pilot to commercial volumes.
Sanitation & CIP/SIP Systems: Expertise in chemical handling and the operation and validation of Clean-in-Place and Sanitize-in-Place systems.
Equipment Operation & Maintenance: Hands-on experience operating and troubleshooting pumps, filters, heat exchangers, tanks, and carbonation equipment.
Data Analysis: Ability to use tools like Excel or Google Sheets to track, analyze, and visualize production data to make informed decisions.
SOP Development: Skill in writing clear, detailed, and effective Standard Operating Procedures for complex manufacturing tasks.

Soft Skills

Meticulous Attention to Detail: An unwavering focus on precision and consistency, understanding that small deviations can have a large impact on the final product.
Systematic Problem-Solving: The ability to logically and calmly diagnose process issues, identify the root cause, and implement robust solutions.
Effective Communication: Capable of clearly conveying technical information to both technical and non-technical team members, from the brewery floor to the executive level.
Adaptability & Resilience: Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced production environment and can pivot quickly to address unforeseen challenges.
Teamwork & Collaboration: A proactive and supportive team player who can lead, mentor, and work effectively with others to achieve common goals.
Ownership Mentality: A strong sense of responsibility for the entire process and a commitment to producing the best possible product every single day.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

An Associate's Degree in a relevant field combined with significant professional brewing experience. In exceptional cases, a High School Diploma with extensive, directly applicable experience will be considered.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's of Science (B.S.) degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Food Science
Microbiology
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Brewing & Fermentation Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-7 years of hands-on experience in a commercial beverage production environment.

Preferred: At least 2 years of direct experience in the production of kombucha or other fermented beverages (e.g., beer, cider, wine, or kefir) is highly desirable. Experience in a facility operating under GMP and HACCP is strongly preferred.