Job Profile: Production Tech

Job Overview

The Production Technician serves as the critical execution point within the cannabis value chain, operating at the intersection of scientific formulation and high-volume manufacturing. This role is responsible for the precise execution of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to create a diverse portfolio of consumer products, including edibles, tinctures, topicals, and vape cartridges. The technician translates complex batch production records into tangible, consistent, and safe finished goods. This position carries immense responsibility, as minor deviations in process, documentation, or labeling can trigger significant financial losses, product recalls, and severe compliance violations. Success is measured by the ability to maintain exceptional quality standards, drive operational efficiency, and uphold absolute regulatory compliance in a fast-paced production environment. This role directly ensures that the final product delivered to consumers is a perfect representation of the brand's commitment to quality and safety.

A Day in the Life

The operational day begins in the gowning area, where the technician dons dedicated personal protective equipment (PPE), including hairnets, lab coats, and non-slip footwear, to prevent contamination. The first action is attending the daily production huddle. The Production Manager reviews the schedule: today’s target is a 15,000-unit run of a 10mg THC raspberry gummy SKU, followed by a 5,000-unit batch of 1:1 CBD:THC vape cartridges. The technician is assigned to the gummy line. The initial task involves a meticulous pre-production checklist for the automated gummy depositor and cooling tunnel. This includes verifying calibration records, inspecting for cleanliness, and ensuring all safety guards are in place. The technician then stages all required materials, cross-referencing lot numbers on the pectin, flavorings, and most critically, the cannabis distillate, against the official Batch Production Record (BPR). Every weight and lot number is recorded in real-time, creating a critical piece of compliance documentation.

The production process begins by precisely weighing and combining ingredients in a large, jacketed kettle according to the SOP. The technician monitors temperature and mixing times with extreme precision to achieve the correct gummy texture and consistency. The cannabis distillate is then carefully introduced and homogenized into the slurry to ensure uniform potency across the entire batch. After a sample is sent to the in-house lab for a rapid potency check, the technician begins operating the depositor, which fills thousands of gummy molds with the infused liquid. During this run, the primary focus is on active defect identification. The technician constantly observes the process, looking for air bubbles, misshapen gummies, or inconsistencies in color. Any identified defects are documented and segregated immediately to prevent them from entering the main batch. This ongoing quality control is a fundamental part of the role's contribution to efficiency by minimizing waste.

Midday operations involve collaboration with the quality assurance team. A QA technician arrives to pull random samples from the production line for formal testing, and the Production Technician assists by providing context on the run and presenting the completed BPR for initial review. Once the gummies have set in the cooling tunnel, they are demolded and prepared for a sugar coating process. The technician operates a tumbling machine, ensuring an even and consistent coating is applied to every unit. This step, while seemingly simple, is crucial for product quality and consumer experience.

The afternoon focus shifts to packaging, a critical compliance checkpoint. The cured gummies are moved to the automated bottling and labeling line. The technician loads the correct, state-approved packaging and labels into the machines. A key responsibility is verifying that the labeling machine's printer is coded with the correct batch number, expiration date, and potency information that matches the BPR. The first few finished goods off the line are carefully inspected to ensure the label is applied straight, is fully legible, and contains all required compliance warnings. Throughout the packaging run, the technician monitors the equipment for jams and performs weight checks on sealed bottles to ensure accurate unit counts. The final, sealed, and labeled products are carefully packed into cases, and the total yield of finished goods is reconciled against the BPR. The day concludes with a thorough cleaning and sanitization of all equipment used, a process that is documented in a dedicated cleaning log to maintain GMP standards and prepare for the next day's production.

Core Responsibilities & Operational Impact

The Production Technician's duties are segmented into three critical operational domains:

1. Product Formulation & Manufacturing Execution

• SOP Adherence: Executing multi-step production processes for edibles, tinctures, or vape products with strict fidelity to established SOPs to guarantee product consistency and safety.
• Equipment Operation: Setting up, operating, and troubleshooting sophisticated manufacturing equipment such as homogenizers, automated filling machines, and depositors to maximize efficiency.
• In-Process Quality Control: Actively monitoring production runs for anomalies and performing defect identification to ensure every unit meets visual and physical quality standards before packaging.

2. Compliance Integrity & Meticulous Documentation

• Batch Record Management: Completing detailed and accurate Batch Production Records (BPRs) in real-time, capturing all data points from ingredient lot numbers to process times and yields. This documentation is the foundation of compliance.
• Labeling & Packaging Verification: Ensuring every unit of finished goods is packaged and labeled in exact accordance with state-specific regulations, verifying batch codes, potency, and warning symbols.
• Inventory Tracking: Accurately recording the consumption of raw materials and the creation of finished goods within the company's seed-to-sale tracking system to maintain a flawless chain of custody.

3. Process Efficiency & Team Collaboration

• Workflow Optimization: Identifying bottlenecks or inefficiencies in the production process and providing constructive feedback to management for continuous improvement.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Working in close partnership with Quality Assurance, Inventory, and Maintenance teams to coordinate sampling, material supply, and equipment upkeep, ensuring smooth production flow.
• Sanitation & Facility Readiness: Performing rigorous cleaning and sanitization of all equipment and production spaces to prevent cross-contamination and ensure readiness for audits and subsequent production runs.

Strategic Impact Analysis

The Production Technician directly influences key business performance metrics through the following mechanisms:

Chain of Command & Key Stakeholders

Reports To: This position typically reports to the Production Supervisor or Manufacturing Manager.

Similar Roles: This role is functionally equivalent to titles found in other regulated industries, such as Manufacturing Associate, Machine Operator, Packaging Technician, Compounding Technician, or Process Technician. Professionals in food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, or cosmetics manufacturing will find the core responsibilities highly familiar. The key differentiator in cannabis is the added layer of seed-to-sale tracking and state-specific compliance documentation integrated into every step of the process.

Works Closely With: This position requires constant collaboration with Quality Assurance Technicians, the Formulation Team, Packaging Specialists, and the Inventory Control Manager.

Technology, Tools & Systems

Proficiency with specific manufacturing technologies is central to the role:

• Manufacturing Equipment: Hands-on operation of industrial-grade equipment such as jacketed mixing kettles, high-shear homogenizers, automated depositors (e.g., for gummies), vape cartridge filling machines (e.g., Thompson Duke, ATG), and automated labeling and bottling lines.
• Compliance Software: Daily use of state-mandated seed-to-sale tracking systems (e.g., METRC, BioTrack) and internal Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to log material consumption and production of finished goods.
• Quality Control Tools: Utilization of precision instruments including calibrated digital scales, viscometers, pH meters, and calipers to perform in-process checks and verify product specifications.
• Documentation Systems: Meticulous data entry into digital or paper-based Batch Production Records (BPRs), equipment cleaning logs, and other compliance documentation.

The Ideal Candidate Profile

Transferable Skills

Success in this role is built on experience from other highly structured and regulated industries:

• Food & Beverage Manufacturing: Deep experience with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), food safety protocols (HACCP), batch processing, and high-speed packaging directly applies to cannabis edibles production.
• Pharmaceutical / Nutraceutical Production: Expertise in cGMP, meticulous batch record documentation, cleanroom procedures, and precise ingredient compounding is a perfect match for the role's compliance demands.
• Cosmetics Manufacturing: A background in formulating and producing topicals, creams, and lotions provides relevant experience in emulsion, mixing, and filling processes.
• Brewing & Distilling: Knowledge of sanitation, fermentation, fluid dynamics, and process control is highly transferable, especially the focus on recipe consistency and quality.

Critical Competencies

The role demands specific professional attributes for high performance:

• Procedural Discipline: The ability to follow complex, multi-step instructions without deviation, understanding that every step has a compliance or quality implication.
• Extreme Attention to Detail: A sharp eye for identifying subtle defects in products and a meticulous approach to documentation, ensuring every number and signature is correct.
• Mechanical Aptitude: A comfort level with operating, troubleshooting, and performing basic adjustments on sophisticated manufacturing machinery to maintain production efficiency.

Top 3 Influential Entities for the Role

These organizations set the standards and regulations that directly shape the daily tasks of a Production Technician:

• State Cannabis Regulatory Agency: This is the primary governing body (e.g., California's Department of Cannabis Control). Their regulations dictate every critical aspect of the job, including ingredient traceability, batch sizing, potency limits, and the exact information required on all documentation and product labeling.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): While the FDA does not currently regulate cannabis products, its framework for Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) as outlined in 21 CFR Part 111 and 117 is the gold standard. Leading cannabis companies voluntarily adopt cGMP to ensure product safety and prepare for future federal oversight, making these principles core to the technician's work.
• ASTM International Committee D37 on Cannabis: This voluntary standards organization develops benchmarks for quality and safety in the cannabis industry. Their standards for processing, packaging, and labeling provide a framework for best practices that often exceed the minimum requirements set by state regulators.

Acronyms & Terminology