Assistant Winemaker - Gonzales (Manufacturing)
An industry leader, The Wine Group is one of the world's foremost producers of award-winning wines across more than 60 wine brands and many winery facilities in California, New York, and Australia. Headquartered in Livermore, California, TWG is an industry innovator when it comes to developing, marketing, and selling wine brands beloved by consumers around the world, including Cupcake, Franzia, Benziger, Imagery, Tribute, 7 Deadly, Cooper & Thief, The Dreaming Tree, Charles Smith Wines, and more. The Wine Group believes in producing wine using sustainable and earth-friendly practices to foster healthy land and agriculture for generations to come. The company demonstrates environmental stewardship through its commitment to clean energy and by ensuring that all its owned vineyards are certified sustainable or biodynamic. To learn more, please visit: www.thewinegroup.com.
JOB SUMMARY
Work with a winemaking team in grape and wine processing and finishing operations. Assists in the directing of crushing, fermentation, blending, finishing and storage of all products produced. This may include some or all the following: special winemaking projects, inventory management, plan development, blend formulation, cellar SOP review and development, Winemaking Protocols (WMPs), sanitation monitoring and other assignments.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Assist with tracking and maintaining wine quality.
- Assist with wine finishing program; assist in resolving issues with wines that do not meet specifications.
- Taste and evaluate wines and blends.
- Set up and interpret various fining trials and lab blends to improve wine quality.
- Assist in the development of blend specification sheets.
- Ensure that all wines sent to be bottled are “bottle ready” fitting lab analysis, tasting and standards. Assist with research projects, specialized wine programs, and other projects as needed.
- Participates in management of grape receiving and wine production operations during harvest, as assigned.
- Generate Work Orders for grape and wine processing.
- Develop vineyard knowledge.
- Responsible for maintaining the highest standards of procedures throughout the cellar.
- Contributes to the continuous improvement of the winemaking processes and procedures.
- Responsible for understanding and complying with applicable quality, environmental and safety regulatory considerations.
- May represent winery (or wine brand) at industry, media, or public events.
QUALIFICATIONS
- BS/MS in Fermentation Science, Viticulture and Enology, Biology or Chemistry.
- Minimum one year of wine industry experience.
- Good organizational, supervisory and communication skills (verbal and written).
- Well-developed wine tasting skills.
- Deep understanding of major aspects of winemaking, laboratory procedures, bottling and production workflow.
- Computer proficient in Excel (intermediate to advanced), Access and Word.
- Clear commitment to high quality and orientation to details.
- Ability to work harmoniously with coworkers.
- Fluency in Spanish desirable.
- Able to work independently with a minimum of supervision.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
- Repeatedly ascend/descend stairs and ladders at heights of 40 feet and higher.
- Move safely over uneven and/or wet terrain.
- Work both indoors and outdoors in and around outdoor elements such as precipitation, wind, low/high temperatures, and elevated noise levels.
- Work in confined spaces and at elevated heights.
- Frequently move, transport, and position objects weighing up to 55 pounds at varying frequencies.
- Constantly position self to operate production machinery and perform work-related tasks, including stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling.
- Stand or remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time.
- Use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms.
- Must have close vision, distant vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
- Safely work around and operate mechanical equipment and tools, including lift trucks and hand trucks.
- Work near moving mechanical parts and in areas with lift truck traffic.
- Work with hazardous materials requiring the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including respirators, gloves, eye and face protection, and chemical-resistant coverings.
- For roles requiring respirator use, must pass a fit test and medical clearance. Employees must remain clean-shaven to ensure proper respirator fit, per company policy.
- Operate machinery is used to inspect and analyze products in laboratory and production environments for extended periods.
- Operate an office workstation and other office equipment (e.g., computer, keyboard, mouse, copier, printer) for extended periods.
- Constantly position self to operate office equipment necessary to perform work-related tasks.
- Must have a valid driver's license and be able to drive a car and travel via plane/train as needed.
- Must be able to work long hours, weekends, and holidays, especially during harvest season.
COMPENSATION
- Hiring Salary Range Posted: $73,400 - $110,000.
- Actual compensation will be based on factors such as experience; skills, knowledge, and abilities; education; and other position-related factors.
At The Wine Group, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristic protected by law.
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NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES
Please note that we do not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Recruitment Services Agreement, we will not consider, or agree to, payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee. In the event that a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement, we explicitly reserve the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency.
