Job Description

Job Summary:

The Winemaking Intern will work in all aspects of harvest - vineyard, cellar, and lab. This position provides a central supporting role for the viticulture and winemaking teams by devising and implementing an experimentation plan during harvest.

Reasonable Accommodations Statement: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Equity Statement: All employees shall embrace the unique contributions based on the diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, experiences, and identities of each individual as we actively create and promote a company culture that is inclusive, welcoming, and supportive of all people.

Safety Statement

All employees shall follow safe practices according to the Injury and Illness Prevention Policy (IIPP), render every possible aid to safe operations, and report all unsafe conditions or practices immediately to any management employee or Human Resources.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Laboratory Duties (60%):

• Assist in obtaining samples requested from production staff
• Experiment monitoring and report
• Take samples of grapes, juice or wine as requested from bins, barrels, tanks, or bottles.
• Run routine analysis based on requests, including but not limited to: Temperature, Brix, TA, pH, Malic acid, RS, CO₂, O₂, Density, VA, T&FSO₂, modified Harbertson-Adams assay for grapes/wine with repeatability and accuracy
• Record analysis accurately on paper and electronically
• Check one’s own analysis numbers against previous analysis and repeat if necessary
• Alert supervisor to any abnormal results or those that might risk wine quality
• Taste wines with winemaking team
• Monitor equipment, calibrate, notify supervisor if out of specifications
• Make additions, sample tanks for QC as needed
• Understand MSDS information sheets, hazardous material handling, and wear PPE
• Respect all safety policies and procedures; insure correct operating status of safety equipment
• Weigh, measure, using scale, volumetric pipettes or flasks, graduated cylinders
• Monitor and record data for all white wine fermentations
• Operating equipment to include: scale, centrifuge, spectrophotometer, water bath, titration, pH meter, aspirator, micro-pipette, UV-Vis spectrophotometer

1. Viticulture (35%)

• Collects vineyard samples and manages sample data.
• Designs and executes an experimental plan for a few pre-determined areas of interest
• Collects and records all the necessary data in all areas affecting the experiments
• Presents the data in a logical and meaningful manner, with interpretations of results
• Assists the vineyard team as necessary to ensure that the experiment parameters are met

1. Cellar Duties (5%)

• Assist the cellar staff by ensuring the procedures for experimental fermentations are followed
• Cleaning and organization of equipment after use

 Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Salary Range:  $20 - $21 per hour

Job Requirements:

Education/Experience: BS Degree in Oenology or related International equivalent; or up to three years related experience or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:  

• Analytical Skills - Ability to use thinking and reasoning to solve a problem.
  
• Autonomy - Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
  
• Communication, Oral - Ability to communicate effectively with others using the spoken word.
  
• Creative - Ability to think in such a way as to produce a new concept or idea.
  
• Deductive Reasoning - Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems.
  
• Detail Oriented - Ability to pay attention to the minute details of a project or task.
  
• Honesty / Integrity - Ability to be truthful and be seen as credible in the workplace.
  
• Initiative - Ability to make decisions or take actions to solve a problem or reach a goal.
  
• Reliability - The trait of being dependable and trustworthy.
• Safety Awareness and Accountability - Ability to identify and correct conditions that affect employee safety, be responsible for personal safety and safety of others, adhere to company policies and procedures.

Physical Demands:

N (Not Applicable) - Activity is not applicable to this occupation

O (Occasionally) - Occupation requires this activity up to 33% of the time (0-2.5+hrs/day)

F (Frequently) - Occupation requires this activity from 33% - 66% of the time (2.5-5.5+ hrs/day)

C(Constantly) - Occupation requires this activity more than 66% of the time (5.5+ hrs/day) 

Lift/Carry

10 lbs or Less, F

11 – 20 lbs, F

21 – 50 lbs, O

51 – 100 lbs, O

Over 100 lbs, N

Push/Pull

12 lbs or Less, F

13-25 lbs, F

26-40 lbs, O

41-100 lbs, N

Other Physical Requirements

Vision (Near, Distance)

Sense of Sound (i.e. Machinery/tractor sounds)

Sense of Touch

Ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Steel toe boots, safety glasses) 

Work Environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts, and outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; risk of electrical shock; and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is frequently loud. Employee works around dangerous, automatic machinery.

 Other:

• Valid U.S. Driver’s License and clean DMV record required (if applicable)
• Forklift License or knowledge is a preferred but not essential
• English and Spanish skills preferred (Bilingual)
• Wine knowledge, Oenology and some Viticultural knowledge preferred
• Computer skills, Excel, Winemaker’s Database, Filemaker Pro, Word
• Must be able to lift and carry heavy objects of 40 pounds (1 case of wine)