Microbiologist

Cara Technology; Leatherhead; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days holiday

Company pension

Enhanced sick, parental, and bereaveme

Flexible working hours

On-site parking

Professional body subscription fees

Company events and socials

Genuine training and development

Job summary

Cara Technology is seeking a Microbiologist to join its Leatherhead team to manage hands-on work with its extensive brewing yeast bank. You will produce yeast slopes, run fermentation processes, and support projects with technical reporting for customers worldwide.

Based on your experience, you will perform DNA fingerprinting and yeast banking, including liquid nitrogen storage, while maintaining strict QA and documentation in a close-knit lab environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in microbiology or related scientific discipline.
• Solid grounding in yeast microbiology and quality control processes.
• Strong attention to detail, organisation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Manufacture yeast slopes to meet production targets and client orders
• Prepare culture media, inoculate, and manage fermentation processes
• Carry out DNA fingerprinting and yeast banking, including liquid nitrogen storage
• Support customer projects: technical reports, consultancy, and sample testing
• Maintain lab documentation, stock levels, and quality standards

Skills

Microbiology

Yeast microbiology

Quality control

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Independence

Teamwork

Job description

Microbiologist — Leatherhead, Surrey Salary: £26,000 – £28,000, depending on experience Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hrs/week, Monday–Friday Location: On-site, Bluebird House, Leatherhead Reporting to: Senior Microbiologist Start: ASAP Cara Technology holds the largest collection of brewing yeast in the world — 850 strains, built up over almost 130 years, trusted by breweries globally since 1881. We're growing our microbiology team to keep pace with new projects and increasing demand — this is a brand-new role, not a replacement, with real scope to grow into it.
As Microbiologist, you'll work hands-on with that yeast bank: producing yeast slopes for customers worldwide, running DNA fingerprinting and yeast banking, and providing technical support that directly shapes what ends up in some of the world's best-known breweries. You'll join a small, tight-knit team — the kind of place where your work is genuinely visible and you're not just a cog in a big department.

What you'll do

• Manufacture yeast slopes to meet production targets and client orders

• Prepare culture media, inoculate, and manage fermentation processes

• Carry out DNA fingerprinting and yeast banking, including liquid nitrogen storage

• Support customer projects: technical reports, consultancy, and sample testing

• Maintain lab documentation, stock levels, and quality standards

What we're looking for

• Experience in microbiology, laboratory work, or a related scientific discipline

• Solid grounding in yeast microbiology and quality control processes

• Strong attention to detail, organisation, and communication skills

• Comfortable working independently and as part of a team

Nice to have

• Experience in brewing or fermentation

• Familiarity with HACCP / Quality Management Systems

• Customer-facing technical support experience

What you'll get

• 26 days holiday + bank holidays

• Company pension

• Enhanced sick, parental, and bereavement leave

• Flexible working hours where possible

• On-site parking

• Professional body subscription fees covered

• Company events and socials

• Genuine training and development opportunities