THOUGHT PIECE the carling team
Quality Specialist Brewing Job Description
The quality specialist (brewing) will work to ensure that the beer produced in a brewery is of exceptional quality. They will work with the primary goals of improving brewery operations, improving product quality, improving customer satisfaction levels and reducing costs. The quality specialist will also help ensure that food safety standards are maintained and that the brewery complies with its legal obligations.
Reporting to the quality compliance manager, the quality specialist will establish quality control systems, perform regular products tests, analyse quality assurance data, and ensure the brewery is both a clean and safe environment.
They will guide the implementation of best-practice quality assurance and quality control techniques. They may also play a role in ensuring the quality of packaging materials. The quality specialist (brewing) is also responsible for educating management, brewers and other brewery staff on the ways they can improve product quality.
Key Responsibilities of the Quality Specialist — Brewing
The key responsibilities of the quality specialist (brewing) include:
- Ensure the brewery complies with the appropriate standards
The most important responsibility of the quality specialist is to ensure the brewery complies with environmental, food safety, workplace safety and food ingredient integrity guidelines. - Ensure that service level agreements relating to quality are met
They will monitor the quality of the components used within the brewing process to ensure they meet the quality standards that have been agreed to. - Organise and implement quality improvement projects within the brewery
The quality specialist will design and implement quality improvement projects within specific budgetary constraints. These projects should be designed to improve product quality, safety, and efficiency. They must work to ensure that capital is spent in the most effective manner possible. - Analyse quality assurance data
The quality specialist will process and analyse the microbiology of the beer being produced. They will then make recommendations to the brewers and management team for quality improvement. - Work with third party companies to coordinate audits
They will help external bodies organise and perform audits of the brewery to ensure standards compliance. - Encourage industry best practice in the brewery
The quality specialist will continually improve the operation of the brewery and encourage industry best practices on the production line. - Run quality assurance and improvement projects to a budget
All projects that are developed by the quality specialist must be implemented with budgetary constraints in mind. In many cases, they must choose the most valuable project to perform with limited funding. - Motivate staff to improve performance and product quality
The quality specialist will actively encourage staff to improve their work practices and make them eager to do so. They must set key performance indicators and make staff aware of their importance.
Education
The quality specialist should have a Ba in a science related field or BSc ideally in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Food Science, Cereal Science, Chemical Engineering or Agronomy. Ideally, they will have a brewing related education qualification and training in quality control systems (IBD, CQE, Six Sigma).
Work Experience
The quality specialist (brewing) should have previous experience in the following areas:
- Experience and knowledge relating to brewing processes
- Experience with manufacturing and project management
- Experience implementing process improvement strategies
- Familiarity with good laboratory practice (GLP) and good manufacturing practice (GMP)
Key Skills
- Laboratory process skills and advanced knowledge of laboratory equipment
- Strong understanding of the brewing process
- Advanced knowledge of statistical methods
- Computer skills
- Strong communication skills
- Strong knowledge of continuous improvement techniques
- Advanced problem solving skills
- Results focussed with strong attention to detail
- Strong organisational skills and an analytical approach
- Ability to prioritise work and work on your own to deadlines
- Awareness of all relevant regulations regarding OHSA, food safety, and environmental safety
- Advanced interpersonal, communication and teamwork skills
- Demonstrated decision-making skills
- Leadership skills and the ability to motivate other staff
- Ability to coach and influence others to achieve specific results
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