Cellar Operator

Funky Buddha Brewery, located in Oakland Park, Florida, is seeking a full-time Cellar Operator to join its growing team. Established in 2010 at its Boca Raton brewpub, Funky Buddha is known for pushing the boundaries of traditional brewing methods with culinary-inspired recipes utilizing all-natural, food-centric ingredients. Some of its best-known beers include flagships Hop Gun IPA and Floridian Hefeweizen.

In addition to brewing its own award-winning beers, Funky Buddha now proudly produces its own THC-infused beverages and provides co-packing services for other beverage brands. This continued expansion underscores Funky Buddha’s reputation as an innovative and fast-growing beverage producer—the first production brewery in the greater Fort Lauderdale area and the largest brewery in South Florida.

“Where the Best Beers Are – Top 20 Brewpubs/Breweries for good beer” – USA Today

“25 Breweries to Know” – Draft Magazine

“10 Best Breweries to Visit in the South” – First We Feast

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Cellar Operator is responsible for all aspects of processes related to fermentation, conditioning, treatment, clarification, carbonation, and any other steps required to achieve a consistent final product ready for packaging. This includes beer, THC beverages, and co-packed products for partner brands.

The Cellar Operator must be a hard-working, responsible, and self-motivated individual with a passion for craft beverages and a desire to continue learning and growing within the industry. The position requires strong mechanical aptitude, attention to detail, and the ability to multitask through different processes in a fast-paced and constantly evolving environment.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Perform cellaring duties including fermentation management for beer, THC beverages, and co-packed products.
• Assistance with yeast handling and management.
• Execute CIP (clean-in-place) of brewing, fermentation, and beverage processing tanks and equipment.
• Operate centrifuge and plate filter for product clarification.
• Carefully execute treatment and conditioning plans for specialty and infused beverages.
• Maintain accurate records from fermentation through finishing and packaging stages.
• Follow SOPs for all products, ensuring consistent quality across Funky Buddha and co-packed brands.
• Operate flash pasteurizer and related processing systems.
• Maintain sanitary practices in all aspects of beverage processing.
• Perform preventive maintenance on brewhouse and cellar equipment.
• Assist with lab testing, sensory panels, and quality assurance activities.
• Prepare, fill, and transfer beer and other beverages to and from barrels and tanks as needed.
• Support cross-departmental production needs, including THC production and co-packing runs.
• Participate in staff training opportunities and continuous improvement initiatives.

(This list is not exhaustive; job functions may change based on business needs.)

SUPPORTIVE FUNCTIONS

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the supervisor based upon the particular requirements of the company.

• Assist Brewery Operations Manager with any necessary production duties.
• Assist in any other special duties associated with beer production.
• Assist any other special duties associated with quality checks.
• May be asked to assist with other duties and special projects throughout the Brewery

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Near Vision Constant

Far Vision Constant

Hearing Constant

Talking Constant

Sitting Frequent

Walking Frequent

Computer Use Frequent

Crouching, Bending, Stooping Frequent

Reaching Occasional

Grasping Occasional

Pushing/Pulling Occasional

Lifting/Carrying up to 55 lbs Occasional

Climbing Stairs Occasional

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

OSHA laws require the use of the following Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when performing work duties that have the potential of risk to your health or safety:

• Safety goggles when walking through the Production area
• Steel Toe rubber boots
• Hearing Protection in loud environments
• Safety gloves when handling industrial strength chemicals

Employees will be trained in the proper use and care of assigned PPE. Funky Buddha Brewery provides the required PPE. It is your responsibility to report defective, damaged or lost PPE, or equipment that does not fit properly to your Manager.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

No positions directly report to this position.

SPECIFIC JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

• A strong passion for brewing and a desire to advance personal growth in the brewing industry
• Some understanding of brewing aspects, including cellaring, yeast handling, CIP, and sanitization
• Strong organizational habits, a self-motivated work ethic, and good critical thinking/problem solving skills
• Flexibility in terms of hours and a willingness to work night shifts, weekends, and overtime
• Computer literate with some understanding of Microsoft Office/spreadsheet programs
• Ability to work safely with hazardous chemicals
• Ability to work safely in a wet, noisy, and non-temperature-controlled environment
• Ability to work safely in confined spaces and around complex machinery
• Ability to stoop, squat, kneel, and crawl for purposes of collecting samples, gathering data, and cleaning
• Ability to work independently on multiple projects at one time, maintaining attention to detail with each project
• Ability to meet production, quality and safety standards
• An understanding of operational structure and system variables such as pressure, temperature and flow is preferred
• Ability to problem-solve or understand mechanical failures related to brewing system is preferred
• Open mind for cross-training and covering other department’s tasks related to beer production and quality

QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

EDUCATION

Four-year college degree in natural sciences (e.g., microbiology, biochemistry, food science, engineering, etc.) preferred.

EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of one-year experience in a commercial production on operations, brewery or high-volume brew pub required.
• An understanding of quality assurance (QA) methods and techniques, laboratory operations, and basic knowledge of chemistry and biology preferred.
• Prior packaging, bottling, and racking experience preferred.
• Mechanical experience and aptitude preferred.
• Forklift operation or certification preferred.

LICENSES OR CERTIFICATES

No special licenses or certificates required.

GROOMING

All employees must maintain a neat, clean and well-groomed appearance.

Integrity, loyalty and a good sense of humor are all factors in who we hire. We are a rapidly expanding company with growth potential within.

Funky Buddha Brewery is an Equal Opportunity Employer.