COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Prairie AquaTech Manufacturing, LLC dba Houdek Manufacturing 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.

POSITION SUMMARY

Prairie AquaTech is seeking a full-time Fermentation Technician in a growing, fast-paced, product development-focused environment. This position offers the employee the unique opportunity to operate in both a laboratory and plant environment. This position works on a revolving 12-hour schedule, night shift.

• 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 are 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.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• This position includes responsibilities in a laboratory and production environment. Employees will work near moving mechanical parts and work directly with steam and chemical solutions. Employees are required to wear head protection, eye protection, and steel-toed footwear in the plant, and may experience loud environments requiring hearing protection. Employees may experience hot, cold, humid, odorous, and wet conditions. Employees must be able to lift 60 pounds safely without assistance.