Manage the development, propagation, production, storage and phage programs of Grandes starter cultures.

• Build and maintain a strain development program for New Product Development:
• Isolate strains which contribute different flavor/functionality attributes in Grande dairy products.
• Develop, propagate and maintain new and existing strains of Grande Cheese cultures:
• On a continuing basis, using established techniques, develop and maintain new strains of cultures obtained from the current milk supply or other approved sources.
• Create, document and sustain an ongoing schedule which ensures the development of new strains of starter in a timely and consistent manner.
• Incorporates new approved strains into the culture rotation
• Develop and maintain a bacterial phage program which includes:
• Phage isolation, propagation and storage Challenge studies with existing and new bacterial strains
• Ongoing routine testing of starter strains for phage. Production of Grande Culture:
• Develop and institute process changes which enhance consistency and efficiency of current culture programs.
• Manage all culture production at our Brownsville Culture Facility.
• Develop and maintain a culture rotation schedule based on strain activity, phage susceptibility and other quality checks.
• Make timely decisions where needed based on experience, historical precedence and collaborative communication with others to ensure the uninterrupted flow of starter to every Grande cheese plant.
• Trouble shoot and correct all culture inconsistencies related to rod /coccus ratios, activities and bacteria health before culture strains are distributed to the cheese plants.
• Supervise Technicians in the department including work schedules, performance evaluations and salary adjustments.

Develop, maintain and manage an ongoing library of Frozen and freeze dried cultures derived from current inventories.

• Maintain a frozen and freeze dried culture library of all currently used and new bacterial strains
• Schedule strains to be freeze dried and/or frozen at a frequency which ensures adequate inventory.
• Develop and maintain a detailed inventory tracking system which tracks the age, amount and activity of each strain.
• Monitor the activity of inventoried strains.

Monitor bulk culture activities and usage at each cheese plant. Work with cheese makers and plant Quality Managers to ensure each strain of culture is performing to expectations.

• Daily monitor all plant bulk culture activities and concerns.
• Assist in troubleshooting issues and documenting problems
• Inform plants in a timely manner when bulk culture issues may arise due to mother culture fluctuations.
• Develop with Quality Managers and others, processes and protocols which are designed to quickly respond to plant bulk culture issues and problems.
• Continuously investigate and implement new processes and procedures which improve and enhance facility culture programs.

All other duties and responsibilities as requested or required

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as requested or required including the following:
• Identification of new starter processing equipment.
• Writing of Starter Culture policies, procedures and SOPs.
• Transferring knowledge of Starter Culture production to other select individuals.
• Work with the Director of Quality Assurance and Technical Services and others to identify, test and document new methods and procedures in the Starter Culture area.

• A Bachelor of Science Degree, Masters Degree or higher Preferred with an emphasis on Microbiology / Bacteriology.
• Minimum of 10 years of Cheese culture production experience with emphasis on Lactic Acid bacteria including the isolation propagation and identification of individual strains.
• A working knowledge of bacterial phage infections is required.