Fermentation Technician

**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 mínimal 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