Lab Technician

About the role

MGP Ingredients is a leading supplier of premium distilled spirits and food ingredient solutions. Its Distilling Solutions segment provides bourbons, whiskeys, ryes, gins, and vodkas to craft and multinational brands. MGP's own Branded Spirits business is growing following the 2021 acquisition of Luxco, a top spirits producer, bottler, supplier, and importer as well as the 2023 acquisition of Penelope Bourbon, known for its wide range of uniquely blended expressions. Ingredient Solutions delivers nutritional, functional wheat- and pea-based ingredients aligned with consumer trends. The company operates in locations across the Midwestern U.S., and overseas in Northern Ireland and Mexico.

We are looking for a Lab Technician to join our Luxco team in St. Louis, MO. Under the guidance of the Quality Control Manager, the Lab Technicians work closely with the Rectifying and Bottling departments. Working with Rectifying to ensure batching is conducted in a quality manner while ensuring government regulations and internal specifications are met. Working with Bottling department to ensure approved batches are bottled in a quality manner while ensuring government regulations and internal specifications are still being met during the bottling process. Lab Technicians aid in ensuring that the quality of the product is carried through to the end consumer.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for all laboratory analyses of all samples submitted to QC Laboratory to ensure internal specifications and external government regulations are met.
• Perform beverage laboratory testing, including distillation, titration, specific gravity and proof checks, pH testing, and organoleptic analysis.
• Inspect and audit production lines to ensure work ticket specifications are met and quality conformance is followed.
• Operate and calibrate lab instrumentation.
• Responsible for testing Reverse Osmosis system daily to ensure internal specifications.
• Perform accurate and timely data entry and record-keeping in Quality Control systems.
• Communicate effectively with other Luxco departments.
• All other duties assigned by the Quality Control Manager.

Requirements

• Minimum of a two-year science degree or Wet Chemistry lab experience.
• A degree in Chemistry, Biology, or Environmental Sciences.
• Must possess a strong working knowledge of Microsoft Windows and Office including Excel and Word.
• Candidate must be self-motivated, dependable, detail-oriented, and able to work independently with little supervision.
• Laboratory and/or quality control experience is preferred, especially in the food and beverage industry.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

• While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
• The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms.
• Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.
• Includes frequently used office equipment, computer software programs, manuals, books, or other written resources, hand tools, power tools, two-way radios, and other tools/equipment/resources.
• Includes use of sanitation equipment and lab/field equipment.
• Various lab equipment, two-way radios will be required to use.