Senior Beverage Maker

Gallo•Modesto, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Beverage Maker leads and influences beverage production from concept through commercialization, ensuring quality, consistency, and innovation across multiple production locations for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The role uses sensory evaluation, analytical data, and scientific rigor to guide decisions and resolve complex quality challenges. It partners with Operations, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Planning, Legal, and Compliance to manage risks, improve processes, and maintain established standards. The position oversees tastings, guides root cause analysis, and ensures production samples meet style targets while balancing quality, cost, and efficiency. The role leads and develops a team of Beverage Makers, fostering inclusion, accountability, and continuous improvement through coaching, clear expectations, and values-based feedback. It also supports co-manufacturing operations and the quality and consistency of brands such as High Noon and VMC. Responsibilities include collaborating with internal and external partners, overseeing audits, managing production schedules, and providing on-site or remote guidance to ensure liquid quality and compliance. The job is based on-site with no telecommuting option and requires living within a commutable distance. Production support may require 24-hour coverage during critical periods or on-call availability, and extended hours may be needed during peak seasons or urgent business needs. Travel may be required, potentially up to 20% in some roles, in addition to travel to company locations for onboarding, training, meetings, and events up to 5% of the time.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in science (STEM) plus 5 years of increasing-responsibility experience in distillation, beverage production, brewing, winemaking, product development, or engineering; OR bachelor's degree plus 7 years of increasing-responsibility experience in distillation, beverage production, brewing, winemaking, chemistry, product development, or engineering; OR bachelor's degree in science (STEM) plus 4 years of GALLO experience in distillation, beverage production, brewing, winemaking, product development, or engineering.
Must be at least 21 years old.
Able to lift and move up to 50 pounds.
Available to support production operations as needed, potentially including 24-hour coverage during critical periods; extended hours may be necessary during peak seasons or urgent business needs.
Able to identify beverage color variations by sight and beverage flavors by taste and smell.
Experience applying fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Intermediate-level knowledge of MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Expertise in applying the scientific method and principles of logical or scientific thinking to intellectual and practical problems.
Skilled in writing reports and business correspondence.
Valid driver's license, safe driving record, and reliable vehicle if applicable at hire; must pass a motor vehicle check. If needed, obtain the appropriate state driver's license within 30 days of hire.
Able to travel to company offices, sites, and meeting locations for onboarding, training, meetings, and events up to 5% of the time, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Must be at least 18 years old, in addition to any other age requirements stated.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or Chemical Engineering plus 7 years of increasing-responsibility beverage production or management, distillation, brewing, or winemaking experience; OR a master's degree in science (STEM) and/or business plus 5 years of beverage production, distillation, brewing, or winemaking experience.
Availability throughout the year for 24-hour on-call production support and some extended hours during certain parts of the year.
Skill in applying fractions, percentages, ratios, statistics, and proportions to practical situations.
Skill in using AI, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Excel.
Skill in reading, analyzing, and interpreting business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations.
Ability to learn and adapt to equipment, processes, and procedures.
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Ability to carry out broad and difficult assignments requiring originality and ingenuity.
Ability to present information effectively and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the public.
Knowledge and experience in beverage fermentation and distillation, including process control, production processing, work scheduling and prioritizing, and government regulations.
Knowledge and experience with personnel management fundamentals.
Some roles may require domestic and international travel up to 20%; a passport would be needed within 4 months of hire in those cases.

Responsibilities

Lead and influence beverage production from concept through commercialization across multiple production locations.
Use sensory evaluation, analytical data, and scientific methods to guide decisions and resolve quality challenges.
Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Planning, Legal, and Compliance to manage risks, improve processes, and maintain standards.
Oversee tastings and guide teams through root cause analysis.
Ensure production samples meet style targets while balancing quality, cost, and efficiency.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of Beverage Makers, fostering inclusion, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Support co-manufacturing operations and oversee quality and consistency for key brands, including High Noon and VMC.
Collaborate with internal and external partners, oversee audits, and manage production schedules.
Provide on-site or remote guidance to ensure liquid quality and compliance.
Support production operations as needed, including 24-hour coverage or on-call support during critical periods.
Travel to company offices, sites, and meeting locations for onboarding, training, meetings, and business needs.