Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Kombucha Packager

🎯 Role Definition

Are you passionate about handcrafted beverages and looking for a hands-on role where you can see the results of your work every day? We are searching for a dedicated and meticulous Kombucha Packager to be a crucial part of our production crew. In this role, you are the final checkpoint for quality, ensuring that our carefully crafted kombucha is bottled, labeled, and boxed to perfection. The ideal candidate is a team player with a keen eye for detail, a commitment to safety and sanitation, and the physical stamina to thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing setting. You will be instrumental in helping us meet our production goals and deliver an exceptional product to a loyal customer base.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Warehouse Associate
Food Service Worker or Barback
General Laborer or Production Worker

Advancement To:

Packaging Line Lead or Team Supervisor
Cellar Hand / Assistant Brewer
Quality Control (QC) Technician

Lateral Moves:

Bottling/Canning Operator (Brewery, Winery, or Cidery)
Food Production Technician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Expertly operate and monitor high-speed automated and semi-automated packaging equipment, including bottle rinsers, fillers, cappers, labelers, and case packers.
Meticulously perform in-process quality control checks to ensure fill volumes, cap torque, label placement, and date codes meet strict company standards.
Execute thorough Clean-In-Place (CIP) and Clean-Out-of-Place (COP) sanitation procedures on all packaging machinery and contact surfaces to maintain a sterile environment.
Efficiently set up the packaging line for production runs and execute complete breakdowns and changeovers between different product SKUs.
⚫ Skillfully troubleshoot minor mechanical issues on the packaging line to minimize downtime and maintain production flow.
Precisely stack and wrap finished cases of product onto pallets according to specified configurations, ensuring stability for transport and storage.
Safely and efficiently operate a pallet jack and/or forklift to transport pallets of finished goods to the cold-storage warehouse and bring raw materials to the line.
Maintain impeccable and accurate documentation of packaging runs, including batch numbers, production counts, quality assurance logs, and downtime records.
Conduct regular inspections of raw packaging materials (bottles, caps, labels, boxes) to identify and quarantine any defects prior to use.
Adhere rigorously to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and company safety protocols at all times.
Manage the case erector and box taper, ensuring a consistent supply of properly formed cases for the packaging line.
Monitor the flow of product and packaging materials, communicating any shortages or issues to the Line Lead or Production Supervisor in a timely manner.
Actively participate in maintaining a clean, organized, and safe work environment in the packaging hall and surrounding areas.
Assist in hand-packing, variety packing, or applying specialty labels for limited-release or seasonal products as required.
Perform final carbonation and dissolved oxygen checks on brite tanks prior to packaging to ensure product is within specification.

Secondary Functions

Assist the cellar and brewing teams with basic tasks such as tank cleaning, fruit processing, or ingredient weighing during periods of low packaging demand.
Participate in monthly inventory counts of both finished goods and raw packaging materials to ensure data accuracy.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by providing feedback and suggestions for enhancing packaging line efficiency, safety, and quality.
⚫ Help load and unload delivery trucks, verifying packing slips against received goods.
Support the Quality Assurance team by collecting product samples from the line for microbiological and sensory analysis.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Packaging Machinery Operation: Proven ability to operate and monitor automated equipment like fillers, cappers, and labelers.
Mechanical Aptitude: Strong ability to understand mechanical processes and perform basic troubleshooting and adjustments on machinery.
Sanitation & CIP: Knowledge of and experience with Clean-In-Place (CIP) systems and food-grade sanitation procedures.
GMP & Food Safety: Familiarity with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and HACCP principles within a food production environment.
Forklift Operation: Certification or the ability to become certified to safely operate a forklift for material handling.
Pallet Jack Proficiency: Competence in using manual and electric pallet jacks to move heavy loads.
Accurate Record Keeping: Diligence in maintaining detailed and precise logs for production data, quality checks, and inventory.

Soft Skills

Keen Attention to Detail: An exceptional eye for identifying minute inconsistencies in product quality, label placement, and machine performance.
Strong Work Ethic: A reliable, self-motivated individual who takes pride in their work and demonstrates a commitment to completing tasks efficiently.
Teamwork & Collaboration: Ability to work effectively and communicate clearly with a diverse team to achieve shared production goals.
Adaptability: Capacity to thrive in a fast-paced, physically demanding environment with shifting priorities and production schedules.
Problem-Solving: The ability to think critically and act quickly to resolve operational challenges and minimize downtime.
Time Management: Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple tasks and responsibilities efficiently throughout a shift.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or GED.

Preferred Education:

Vocational certificate or Associate's degree in a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Food Science
Manufacturing Technology
Brewing Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1-3 years in a relevant environment.

Preferred: 1+ years of direct experience working on a bottling, canning, or packaging line within the food and beverage industry (e.g., brewery, winery, kombucha, or soda). Experience in a GMP-regulated facility is highly desirable.