Manufacturing Supervisor – Berkeley Yeast – San Jose, CA

We are seeking an experienced manufacturing professional with demonstrated leadership experience who enjoys building teams while remaining closely connected to the work. This is a full-time position.

Who We Are

Berkeley Yeast is a yeast innovation company developing novel brewing strains using advanced genetic techniques. Our strains are designed to produce targeted flavor and aroma compounds during fermentation (tropical, citrus, floral, herbaceous, dank, spicy, etc.) while improving performance attributes such as reduced off-flavors (e.g., diacetyl), faster fermentation, and control over flocculation and attenuation.

Our goal is to give brewers better tools to make great beer while saving time, reducing cost, and lowering environmental impact.

About the Position

The Manufacturing Supervisor is responsible for the day-to-day execution of production operations, including scheduling, personnel leadership, training, quality, documentation, and interdepartmental coordination.

Working closely with the Head of Production, you will help lead daily manufacturing operations while contributing to the continued development of our production systems, quality programs, and operational processes.

Success in this role requires balancing leadership responsibilities with active participation on the production floor. While much of the position focuses on planning, coordination, coaching, and execution, there will also be times when the Manufacturing Supervisor is expected to work alongside the team, performing production tasks and supporting operations wherever needed.

We're looking for someone who enjoys developing people, improving processes, solving problems, and leading by example.

Berkeley Yeast's manufacturing operation combines hands-on production with microbiology, quality systems, and aseptic processing. Experience in any of these areas is valuable and will help support our continued growth.

Work Environment & Expectations

• Fast-paced manufacturing environment with changing priorities
• Hands-on leadership with regular participation in production operations
• Daily coordination between Cellar, Packaging, QA/QC, and Maintenance
• Strong emphasis on safety, quality, aseptic process control, documentation, and continuous improvement

Primary Responsibilities

• Supervise daily manufacturing operations and production personnel
• Coordinate daily production schedules and departmental priorities
• Coach, mentor, and develop employees through training and regular feedback
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement
• Perform and support manufacturing operations as needed to maintain production schedules and support the team
• Promote a strong culture of safety through training, coaching, and leading by example
• Ensure compliance with SOPs, safety requirements, and quality standards
• Support investigations and structured problem-solving efforts
• Review production records and documentation for completeness and accuracy
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, safety, and workflow
• Assist with production planning and inventory accuracy
• Lead by example through active participation on the production floor

Leadership Qualities

• Previous experience leading people in a manufacturing environment
• Strong team-oriented leadership style with a passion for coaching and developing others
• Excellent organizational, communication, and decision-making skills
• Ability to prioritize multiple competing demands in a dynamic manufacturing environment
• Commitment to developing people, maintaining quality, and continuously improving operations
• Strong documentation and administrative discipline
• Ability to recognize operational risks, solve problems, and make sound decisions
• Ability to build trust, foster accountability, and navigate difficult conversations with professionalism and respect

Requirements

• Approximately 5 years of manufacturing experience
• Previous experience supervising or leading employees in a manufacturing or production environment
• Demonstrated ability to coach, develop, and support production teams
• Ability to prioritize multiple competing demands while maintaining a safe, quality-focused operation
• Ability to lift up to 55 lbs repeatedly
• Comfortable working alongside the team in a hands-on manufacturing environment

Desirable Skills

• Experience in brewery, fermentation, food, beverage, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or other manufacturing environments
• Exposure to microbiology, fermentation, yeast propagation, or wet laboratory operations is highly desirable. Because our manufacturing process is centered around live yeast cultures, familiarity with biological systems is a significant advantage, though not required.
• Exposure to one or more quality or food safety systems (e.g., GMP, HACCP, PCQI, SQF, ISO)
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems, inventory management software, or participating in system implementations
• Familiarity with production planning, scheduling, inventory control, or manufacturing documentation
• Experience participating in Root Cause Analysis (RCA), CAPA, or other structured problem-solving activities
• Exposure to continuous improvement initiatives such as Lean, 5S, Kaizen, or Six Sigma
• Experience supporting safety programs, incident investigations, or risk reduction initiatives

Compensation & Benefits

$65,000–85,000 per year, commensurate with experience

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with employer matching after 1 year
• Flexible PTO policy designed to balance personal time and operational needs