PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME PRODUCTION ROASTER

Reports to: Director of Roasting

JOB SUMMARY

The Production Roaster works alongside Joe Coffee Company’s Roasting and Production teams under the direction of the Director of Roasting to safely and consistently roast coffee for our retail cafes, wholesale partners, and direct-to-consumer customers.

This role is responsible for the safe operation of production roasting equipment, accurately executing established roast profiles, recording roast data, supporting quality-control and sensory practices, and maintaining a clean, organized, and efficient roasting environment.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, self-motivated, safety-conscious, and comfortable balancing independent, focused work with collaboration across the Roasting and Production teams. Production Roasters complete their responsibilities in a safe, efficient, and quality-minded manner while upholding Joe Coffee Company’s core values: Curiosity, Craft, Commitment, and Community.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Roasting & Machine Proficiency

• Safely operate production roasting equipment in accordance with established procedures, training, and manufacturer guidelines

• Follow established procedures for operating air compressors, production roasting machines, sample roasters, scales, and other roasting equipment

• Execute daily roast schedules accurately and efficiently based on production needs

• Meet established reference-curve targets for the full menu of coffees roasted on the Loring

• Use Cropster to accurately log roast data, monitor roast curves, and maintain required production records

• Maintain focus and attention to detail while independently monitoring active roasts and production equipment

• Monitor roasting equipment and coffee throughout the roasting process, identifying deviations from established profiles and communicating concerns as needed

• Complete required shift safety and equipment-maintenance tasks, including regularly removing chaff, replacing coffee barrel liners, and safely handling green and roasted coffee

• Follow proper lifting and material-handling practices when moving coffee, equipment, and production materials

• Promptly report equipment malfunctions, unusual machine behavior, quality concerns, or other operational issues to the Director of Roasting

• Ask for guidance or assistance whenever necessary to protect employee safety, equipment, and coffee quality

• Participate in training on new equipment, systems, coffees, and roasting procedures as required

Quality & Sensory Development

• Develop and maintain an understanding of how roasting decisions affect coffee quality, flavor, and consistency

• Participate in production cuppings and develop cupping skills as they relate to coffee roasting and quality control

• Actively learn to calibrate with the Roasting team to build consistency in sensory evaluation and communication

• Develop detailed knowledge of Joe Coffee’s current coffee menu, including the expected sensory characteristics and roast profile of each coffee

• Use sensory observations and production data to help identify potential quality or consistency concerns

• Participate in group tasting and calibration exercises with the Education team, including opportunities to evaluate how coffees behave across different brewing methods and café environments

• Contribute to a sensory environment grounded in curiosity, respect, and inclusion, recognizing that individuals may experience and describe coffee differently

• Support Joe Coffee’s established quality-control standards and communicate concerns when a coffee does not meet expectations

Green Coffee, Cleanliness & Efficiency

• Correctly identify green coffees used in daily production and ensure the appropriate coffee is selected for each roast

• Support accurate green coffee inventory practices and organization within the Roastery

• Follow established procedures for identifying, handling, storing, and tracking Rainforest Alliance certified coffees

• Store green coffee on pallets or other designated elevated surfaces in accordance with established storage and safety procedures

• Clear empty pallets from production areas and place them in designated locations for removal

• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe roasting workspace throughout and after each shift

• Follow established cleaning schedules and procedures for roasting equipment and surrounding work areas

• Work collaboratively with the Production team to support timely fulfillment of retail, wholesale, and direct-to-consumer orders

• Balance efficiency with safety, accuracy, and coffee quality when completing daily production

• Assist with setting up, breaking down, and cleaning the QC Lab following cuppings, tastings, or other group sensory activities as needed

JOE COFFEE VALUES

Curiosity

• Approach roasting as an ongoing opportunity to learn, ask questions, and develop technical and sensory knowledge

• Seek to understand the relationship between green coffee, roasting decisions, brewing, and the final cup

• Participate openly in cuppings, calibration exercises, training, and collaborative problem-solving

Community

• Practice enlightened hospitality in interactions with coworkers, vendors, delivery partners, and others who interact with the Roastery

• Contribute to a respectful, collaborative, and inclusive working and sensory environment

• Recognize the role of the Roasting team in supporting Joe Coffee’s cafés, wholesale partners, customers, and broader community

Commitment

• Work diligently and reliably to complete the daily roast schedule while maintaining established quality and safety standards

• Take ownership of assigned responsibilities and communicate proactively when support is needed

• Find value in the consistent, repetitive, and physical work necessary to maintain a successful roasting and production operation

Craft

• Approach every roast with care, precision, and attention to detail

• Follow established roast profiles and quality standards while continuing to develop technical roasting knowledge

• Understand the Production Roaster’s role in protecting the quality and consistency of Joe Coffee from green coffee through the finished cup

OTHER CULTURAL EXPECTATIONS

Adhere to the Code of Conduct for the Roastery and Shared QC Lab

• We respect our own time and that of those who share this space

• We share similar goals to grow, progress, and learn

• We are all linked, but not ranked

• We encourage one another to define a focus: we can do anything, but not everything

• We trust each individual as the authority on their own experience, including sensory experience

• Within a space of dialogue, we communicate with positive intent

RELEVANT SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES

• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to maintain focus and accuracy while independently completing detailed and repetitive tasks

• Ability to shift effectively between collaborative work, sharing goals and responsibilities with the Roasting and Production teams, and focused independent work while actively roasting

• Self-motivated and comfortable performing repetitive tasks and physical work as an essential part of maintaining quality and consistency

• Ability to follow established roast profiles, production procedures, and safety requirements consistently

• Ability to recognize when a roast, process, or piece of equipment is not operating as expected and ask for assistance or escalate concerns appropriately

• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize quality and safety while meeting production needs

• Willingness to learn, receive feedback, ask questions, and continuously develop technical and sensory skills

• Ability to approach yourself and teammates with patience, kindness, and respect while contributing to a collaborative working environment

REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to communicate in English sufficiently to understand safety instructions, equipment procedures, production information, and workplace communications

• Coffee and/or tasting experience preferred but not required

• Previous safety, equipment, food-safety, and/or operational efficiency training preferred but not required, including forklift operation, OSHA-related training, HACCP, or similar training

• Willingness and ability to complete required job-related training for roasting equipment, workplace safety, food safety, and production procedures

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

This position requires regular physical activity in an active roasting, production, and warehouse environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.

Employees in this position must be able to:

• Safely lift, move, push, pull, or otherwise handle materials and products weighing up to 100–150 pounds with assistance and/or appropriate material-handling equipment

• Remain standing and moving for extended periods throughout the shift

• Frequently bend, reach, twist, squat, and move between roasting, production, storage, and quality-control areas

• Safely move coffee bags, barrels, bins, carts, pallets, and other materials used in roasting and production

• Regularly use hands and arms to operate roasting equipment, scales, computers, controls, and other production tools

• Perform repetitive movements associated with roasting, weighing, handling, cleaning, and production work

• Maintain the attention necessary to safely monitor roasting equipment and production processes for extended periods

• Work in a non-climate-controlled roasting and warehouse environment, which may include exposure to varying temperatures throughout the year

• Work safely around hot equipment and surfaces, moving machinery, coffee chaff and dust, and the normal sounds, aromas, and conditions of an active coffee roasting facility

• Safely perform essential job duties while following all required workplace, food-safety, material-handling, and equipment-safety procedures

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Joe Coffee Company is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage applicants to request accommodations during the hiring process if needed.