COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Prairie AquaTech Manufacturing, LLC dba Houdek is a manufacturing company based in Volga South Dakota that is improving animal health and nutrition by providing high-quality feed ingredients. Using patent-pending technologies licensed on a worldwide, exclusive basis from South Dakota State University and developed internally, the Company is upgrading soybean meal to high-quality ingredients used in aquaculture and other animal feeds.

JOB DUTIES

As a key member of the Fermentation team, this role will report to the Production Supervisor and will be responsible for the following:

• Respect a culture of safety first for you and your peers through strict adherence to health and safety procedures and protocols.
• Meticulously execute Standard Operating Procedures, including checklists, for aseptically preparing sterile seed cultures for production fermentation, with culture sizes ranging from lab to production scale
• Evaluate culture purity, cell growth, and cell quality in the production seed train and primary fermentation.
• Monitor and operate equipment per operational instructions and use a distributed control system.
• Perform maintenance, inspection, and cleaning of equipment following operational instructions.
• Observe gauges, dials, or other indicators to ensure equipment is working correctly.
• Communicate with the production team to facilitate processes.
• Report on when maintenance or repairs are necessary.
• Complete all required LMS and field training.
• Notify the Fermentation Lead or Shift Lead of any problems or issues.
• Ensure complete and accurate log entries of all pertinent operational issues.
• Ensure complete and accurate RECs, checklists, and shift reports.
• Evaluate data daily to ensure the process is under control.
• Ensure data is correct and up to date in the tracking file.
• Responsible for continued learning and progression through tier levels.
• Pass all proficiency tests as required.
• Become efficient at using microscopes.
• Any other tasks as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• BSc in a science-related field or associate degree/diploma in a science or engineering field preferred.
• Ability to multitask and maintain focus and quality of each task.
• Experience and/or coursework in microbiology and aseptic technique preferred.
• Strong technical and mechanical troubleshooting abilities preferred.
• Experience with plant operations equipment is a plus.
• Experience with microscopy, spectroscopy, and assay development is a plus.
• Ability to follow company Standard Operating Procedures.
• Ability to work independently and with excellent time management.
• Ability to follow protocols with high precision and accuracy.
• Keen attention to detail with strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Quick and effective diagnosis and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Basic understanding of laboratory safety.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.