Junior Brewer (Yeast & Fermentation)

YSQ International; Klang City; On-site; MYR 33,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

YSQ International in Malaysia is seeking a hands-on Junior Brewer - Yeast & Fermentation to join our brewery team. The role focuses on yeast propagation, handling and fermentation management, ensuring reliable supplies of healthy yeast and stable fermentation performance.

This entry-level position welcomes fresh graduates or juniors with brewing exposure; practical experience in industrial beer fermentation and yeast propagation is strongly preferred.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Brewing Science/Technology, Fermentation Technology, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Food Science/Technology, Bioprocess Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Fresh graduate to approximately 2 years of relevant brewing, fermentation or industrial experience.
• Hands-on exposure to beer brewing or industrial fermentation is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Carry out brewing yeast propagation from starter culture to pitching volume.
• Prepare propagation wort/media and ensure vessels and lines are hygienically prepared.
• Monitor yeast growth, perform cell counting and viability checks.
• Calculate pitching quantity and support yeast transfer into fermentation tanks.
• Harvest yeast and maintain storage conditions; track generation and re-pitch history.
• Monitor fermentation using gravity, pH and temperature; identify abnormal trends early.
• Investigate slow or stuck fermentation and coordinate with the team on wort readiness.
• Conduct basic QC checks (pH, gravity, yeast count) and support hygiene checks.
• Assist with CIP, sanitation, and understanding upstream brewing steps.
• Maintain records for traceability and support SOP improvements.

Skills

Yeast management

Fermentation

Quality control

Hygiene practices

Education

Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Brewing Science/Technology, Fermentation Technology, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Food Science/Technology, Bioprocess Engineering, or related discipline

Job description

We are seeking a hands-on Junior Brewer - Yeast & Fermentation to work within the brewery, with primary responsibility for brewing yeast propagation, yeast handling and fermentation management. The role will ensure a reliable supply of healthy yeast, consistent pitching and stable fermentation performance, while supporting fermentation-related quality control and troubleshooting. The position is suitable for a fresh graduate or junior candidate with relevant brewing or fermentation exposure; practical experience in industrial beer brewing and especially yeast propagation is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities and Duties

Yeast Propagation & Yeast Management

• Carry out brewing yeast propagation from starter culture to the required pitching volume for production.
• Prepare propagation wort/media and ensure yeast propagation vessels, transfer lines and accessories are hygienically prepared.
• Monitor yeast growth, perform cell counting and assess yeast viability before pitching.
• Calculate required pitching quantity and support controlled yeast transfer and pitching into fermentation tanks.
• Harvest yeast from completed fermentations, assess suitability for re-use, and maintain appropriate storage conditions.
• Track yeast generation, re-pitching history and changes in yeast performance across successive fermentations.
• Maintain aseptic handling practices and identify possible contamination or abnormal yeast condition before use.

Fermentation Management

• Monitor fermentation from yeast pitching through completion using gravity/Brix, pH, temperature, fermentation time and attenuation.
• Track fermentation progress against expected batch performance and identify abnormal trends at an early stage.
• Investigate slow or stuck fermentation, long lag phase, poor attenuation, abnormal flocculation, poor yeast recovery or inconsistent fermentation.
• Coordinate with the brewing team on wort readiness, pitching timing, fermentation temperature and other conditions affecting yeast performance.

Fermentation & Beer Quality Control / Troubleshooting

• Conduct routine fermentation-related checks including pH, gravity/Brix, yeast cell count, viability and basic microscopy.
• Support basic microbiological checks of yeast, fermentation samples and brewery hygiene where required.
• Assist in root-cause investigation of yeast, fermentation or contamination-related beer quality deviations.
• Relate QC findings to yeast generation, pitching rate, fermentation conditions and batch-to-batch consistency.

Brewery Operations Support

• Support wort transfer, fermenter preparation, beer transfer and other brewery operations when required.
• Assist with CIP and sanitation of fermenters, yeast propagation vessels, hoses and yeast-transfer lines.
• Understand upstream brewing steps such as mashing, boiling, wort cooling and oxygenation as they affect fermentation performance.

Documentation & SOPs

• Maintain essential yeast propagation, pitching, harvesting, generation and fermentation records for traceability.
• Follow and support improvement of SOPs for yeast handling, fermentation monitoring, hygiene and sanitation.

Qualifications & Requirements (Education, Experience, Skills, Knowledge, Etc)

Education and Certifications

• Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Brewing Science/Technology, Fermentation Technology, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Food Science/Technology, Bioprocess Engineering, or a related discipline.

Experience

• Fresh graduate to approximately 2 years of relevant brewing, fermentation or industrial experience.
• Hands-on exposure to beer brewing or industrial fermentation is preferred.
• Practical experience in brewing yeast propagation, yeast starter preparation, harvesting or re-pitching is strongly preferred.
• Relevant brewery internship, pilot brewing, craft brewery, fermentation plant or university project experience may be considered.