Winery Laboratory Lead

Pay Range: $26.75 - $31.50/hour
7am-4:30pm or 8am-5pm (6 days a week during harvest)

Position Summary

The Winery Laboratory Lead oversees laboratory operations that support winemaking, production, and bottling activities. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely analytical testing, maintaining compliance with quality and regulatory standards, and providing technical expertise in wine chemistry and microbiology. The position serves as a key resource for winemaking, cellar, and production teams by delivering data that supports product quality and operational decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Laboratory Operations & Leadership

• Coordinate daily laboratory activities and support laboratory personnel.
• Maintain laboratory protocols, testing procedures, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Ensure laboratory equipment is properly calibrated, maintained, and operating effectively.
• Manage laboratory inventory, including chemicals, reagents, and testing supplies.
• Uphold Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), safety requirements, and company quality standards.

Wine & Juice Analysis

• Oversee analytical testing for wine and juice quality parameters, including Brix, pH, titratable acidity, alcohol, SO?, residual sugar, YAN, dissolved gases, color, turbidity, and microbiological stability.
• Monitor fermentation progress, malolactic activity, and overall product stability.
• Analyze and interpret laboratory data and communicate results to the winemaking team.
• Maintain accurate records to support traceability, vintage documentation, and quality programs.

Production & Bottling Support

• Provide laboratory support for harvest operations, fermentation management, blending trials, and cellar activities.
• Conduct pre-bottling stability and quality testing, including protein stability, cold stability, dissolved oxygen, and microbiological evaluations.
• Verify wines meet internal quality standards and regulatory requirements before bottling.
• Partner with cellar, winemaking, and production teams to achieve quality objectives.

Compliance & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain laboratory documentation required for audits, regulatory compliance, and product traceability.
• Support reporting and compliance activities, including TTB and export documentation.
• Manage SDS records and chemical safety documentation.
• Identify opportunities to improve laboratory efficiency, testing methods, organization, and turnaround times.
• Participate in quality initiatives, audits, and continuous improvement projects.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Enology, Chemistry, Food Science, or a related scientific field required.
• 3–7 years of winery laboratory experience with strong knowledge of wine chemistry and fermentation processes.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to coordinate workloads and support cross-functional teams.
• Experience with laboratory instrumentation, calibration, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel; familiarity with laboratory information systems or winery ERP platforms preferred.
• Understanding of TTB regulations and winery compliance requirements.
• Harvest and production support experience preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

Work Environment

This position works across laboratory, cellar, production, warehouse, bottling, and office environments. Responsibilities may involve exposure to chemicals, cleaning agents, wet surfaces, temperature fluctuations, production equipment, and elevated noise levels. Required personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn when appropriate, and work may include access to production and cellar areas in compliance with established safety procedures.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Frequent sampling, testing, measuring, and documentation activities.
• Regular lifting of up to 20 lbs. and occasional lifting of up to 40 lbs.
• Ability to bend, kneel, reach, climb stairs or ladders, and work in varying environmental conditions.
• Manual dexterity to operate laboratory instruments, testing equipment, and small tools.
• Visual acuity sufficient to inspect samples, monitor processes, and evaluate quality indicators.

Star Staffing is a women-powered workforce solutions and staffing company serving Northern California, with offices in Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Napa, Fairfield, Sacramento, Lodi, Hayward, Stockton, and Manteca. We provide local expertise and staffing solutions across a wide range of industries and positions.

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