Production Assistant at Merit Coffee LLC – San Antonio, Texas

Merit Coffee – Production Assistant
Department: Roasting & Production
Reports To: Production Manager
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Location: San Antonio, TX (Roastery)

Role Summary
The Production Assistant plays a critical role in supporting Merit's roasting and production operations. This position is responsible for accurately bagging, labeling, and packaging roasted coffee; fulfilling wholesale, retail, and café orders; maintaining inventory accuracy; and ensuring our coffee quality and production standards are upheld.
This role ensures that every bag leaving the roastery represents our commitment to excellence, consistency, and care.

Key Responsibilities
Coffee Packaging & Order Fulfillment
• Weigh, bag, seal, and label roasted coffee according to Merit's quality standards and scheduled production runs.
• Accurately fulfill café, online, and wholesale orders, ensuring correct quantities, roast dates, and packaging specifications.
• Assist with kitting and assembling retail merchandise, sampler sets, and seasonal offerings.
• Maintain a clean, organized packaging station and production workspace.
Inventory & Quality Control
• Track and record daily production output, green/roasted inventory, and packaging supply usage.
• Notify Production Manager when inventory levels are low or when quality issues arise (e.g., defects in bags, labels, or sealing).
• Follow all quality control practices, including calibration of scales, proper storage of roasted coffee, and FIFO rotation.
Production & Roastery Support
• Assist Production Roaster(s) with batch preparation including weighing greens and staging work areas.
• Support equipment cleaning and daily preventative maintenance (baggers, sealers, scales).
• Participate in weekly deep cleaning of the roastery production area, packaging stations, and storage shelves.
Operational Excellence
• Follow production schedules and communicate any delays or equipment concerns promptly.
• Uphold all food-safety standards, cleanliness expectations, and documentation practices.
• Assist with operational improvement initiatives, workflow optimization, and new production processes as the program scales.

Required Qualifications
• 1+ year experience in a production, warehouse, fulfillment, or food-handling environment (coffee experience preferred but not required).
• High attention to detail; able to follow precise weights, packaging instructions, and labeling standards.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy and consistency.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills; comfortable collaborating closely with roasters and operations teams.
• Reliable, punctual, and committed to Merit's values and quality expectations.

Preferred Qualifications
• Experience in specialty coffee production or roastery environments.
• Familiarity with order fulfillment software, inventory tracking, or warehouse management systems.
• Ability to identify quality issues and proactively escalate concerns.

Physical Requirements
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs repeatedly (green coffee bags, boxes, packaging).
• Ability to stand for long periods, bend, reach, and perform repetitive tasks.
• Comfortable working in warm environments during roast cycles.
• Must follow all safety protocols around equipment and roasting operations.

Work Environment & Culture
At Merit Coffee, we believe in craft, hospitality, and taking care of our people. The Production Assistant plays an integral part in delivering a premium product to our cafés and customers every day. Our team values:
• Quality – a commitment to doing things with excellence.
• Consistency – delivering a reliable, repeatable experience across all channels.
• Hospitality – showing care for teammates and customers through the work we produce.
• Growth – continuously improving our craft, processes, and teamwork.

Compensation & Benefits
• Competitive hourly pay
• Employee discounts on Merit products
• Eligibility for PTO and health benefits per Merit policy

Why This Role Matters
This position directly impacts customer experience, café success, brand reputation, and the scalability of Merit's roasting operation. By supporting roasters and managing packaging & fulfillment, the Production Assistant ensures that every bag of Merit coffee meets the highest standards of quality, freshness, and care.