Roastery Operations Lead

Drift Coffee & Kitchen•Wilmington, NC

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

We’re looking for someone passionate about coffee, people, and continuous learning to join Drift’s coffee program. This role is an extension of our Head of Coffee and is a full production role within the Drift Roastery, while also supporting quality, training, and operations at Drift and within Drift’s coffee program. It’s a hands-on, flexible position that blends training and education, equipment care, seasonal beverage development, and roastery apprenticeship. Over time, this role can grow deeper into the roastery, with the potential to step into a full-time production roasting role.

Requirements

A love for specialty coffee and a desire to grow in the industry
Barista and café experience (ideally with some training or shift-lead background)
Strong communication and people skills — you’re comfortable teaching and supporting others
Attention to detail with an eye for consistency and quality
Flexible and adaptable — no two weeks will look the same
Curiosity and willingness to learn equipment maintenance and build skill in this area
Excitement to contribute to creative seasonal beverage development
Interest in learning to roast and pursuing a production roaster path
A collaborative teammate who’s energized by Drift’s growth
Reliable transportation (role includes traveling between cafés and the roastery)
Valid driver’s license and clean driving record
Ability to lift 75 pounds unassisted at the roastery and loading/unloading delivery van

Responsibilities

Assist with production tasks (weighing, bagging, labeling, packing)
Deliver coffee to all local ILM stores once per week and prepare non local shipments for shipping
Participate in cuppings, QC, and sensory development
Begin learning how to roast under the guidance of the Head of Coffee
Grow roasting knowledge and skills with the potential to become a full-time production roaster as the program expands
Be available for extra hands on special projects or new initiatives
Maintain clean and organized workspace
Assist with equipment maintenance across all stores — including cleaning, calibrating grinders, checking brewers, and supporting preventive care — while actively learning and improving this skill
Maintain scheduled maintenance of all coffee equipment throughout the calendar
Collaborate with the Culinary Team to develop and roll out seasonal drink menus across all Drift cafés
Help QC coffee at cafés and assist with rollout of any new product or coffee within the coffee program and roastery
Assist in fulfillment of online shipments of coffee and retail items
Support scheduled trainings and workshops at the roastery
Continually strive to improve operations, product quality, and team communication
Be willing to take on miscellaneous tasks as needed to support the growth of the program and the Drift brand