Fermentation Technician- College Station, TX
This is a full-time, hourly position.
1st Shift: Monday- Friday from 5:00am-2:00pm
2nd Shift: Monday- Friday from 1:00pm-10:00pm. Shift differential will be provided in addition to Base Pay.
Nature & Scope:
The Fermentation Technician will work, under minimal supervision of the Site Manager, on the production of microorganisms. They will work in a hands-on capacity in the cGMP fermentation facility and be involved in the manufacture of Deerland’s proprietary microorganisms. They will be responsible for the production equipment, including cleaning, preventative/routine maintenance, and optimization. They will participate in engineering initiatives as they pertain to the manufacturing facility and utility areas, including new equipment and/or systems installations, and equipment, systems, and process improvement initiatives. They will work to optimize fermentation process/output for Deerland’s microorganisms while being responsible for troubleshooting; management of change; deviations/CAPAs; and other technical documentation. S(he) will maintain an accurate and timely record of equipment service records; perform preventative and routine maintenance for equipment and utilities; and work collaboratively with various departments to compile, analyze, and interpret data.
Major Accountabilities:
The responsibilities of the Fermentation Technician include, but are not limited to the following:
- Prepare production media and buffers, sterilize equipment, operate bioreactors, and perform seed scale-up from lab pilot to production scale.
- Ensure work is completed in compliance with approved SOPs, batch records, controlled documentation and all applicable regulations, guidelines, safety policies and procedures are followed; Must understand and comply with OSHA safety requirements.
- Ensure that all equipment is opertating as intended and properly maintenanced.
- Research equipment and process modifications for better efficiency.
- Perform weekly set-up, running, and breakdown of bioreactors, including work in off hours.
- Maintain and repair the fermentation systems and the supporting infrastructure as needed.
- Participate in cleaning and equipment validation efforts as well as validation documentation within a cGMP facility.
- Investigate, troubleshoot, and create and develop new methods and technologies.
- Author, review, and revise deviations/CAPAs, manufacturing and process equipment documentation, and other technical documentation, as necessary.
- Perform or assist third parties in performing standard preventative maintenance programs.
- Work collaboratively with various departments to compile, analyze, and interpret data.
- Assist in change controls associated with production and support equipment, process, and utilities.
- Identify and support continuous improvement initiatives.
- Participate in production sustainability goals and seek out innovative solutions to ensure achievement and enhance bioreactor performance.
- Sanitation and upkeep of all production facilities and maintain a high level of a sterile awareness.
- Must operate equipment in a safe manner.
- Must use chemicals (i.e. acids & bases) in a safe manner.
- Train manufacturing associates as appropriate. Participate in cross-training initiatives.
- Work with data capture systems to store data and metadata about production.
- Use data analysis tools to understand process variations and manage process controls.
- Ensure the accuracy of the warehouse inventory by maintaining accurate bin locations, managing the cycle count process as defined in the ERP system. Ensure counts are accurate and on-time according to plan.
- Ensure that the shipping schedule is correctly implemented and report any deviations to Customer Service.
- Maintain a clean, neat, and orderly warehouse area.
- Must be able to lift at least 60lbs.
- Must be able to tolerate the noise and odor that results from microbial cell culture.
General Responsibilities
- Ensure that all production activities are conducted in alignment with safety, quality, and sustainability initiatives.
- Maintain integrity of the production facility and ensure there is no cross-contamination.
- Strong attention to detail in order to produce accurate; precise; and reproducible data.
- Strong analytical; organizational; and time management skills.
- Strong work ethic and prioritizational skills.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Must possess a valid US driver’s license.
- Develop and maintain proper bacterial management practices to ensure consistent microbial cell culture that meet quality standards and keep pace with desired production goals.
- All other assigned duties.
Education
- Minimum – High School Diploma or equivalency (GED)
- Preferred – Associates or Bachelor’s degree in related field
Experience
Required
- Proficient in MS Office, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Preferred
- Knowledge of Quality Control and cGMP
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and attention to detail skills
- Previous fermentation experience (including centrifugation)
- Previous experience maintaining large pieces of machinery
- Previous experience with liquid processing equipment (pumps, valves, mixers, heating, cooling, etc.) Previous experience in a GMP manufacturing environment is desirable but not required.
- Previous mechanical experience (vehicle shop, machine shop, fabrication shop, etc.)
Job Type: Full-time
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- On-the-job training
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Prescription drug insurance
- Professional development assistance
- Referral program
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
- Night shift
Shift availability:
- Night Shift (Preferred)
- Day Shift (Preferred)
Ability to Relocate:
- College Station, TX 77845: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person