The Production Technician - Kitchen is the operational engine of cannabis edibles manufacturing. This role executes the transformation of raw ingredients and refined cannabis extracts into consistent, safe, and precisely dosed consumer products. Operating within a highly regulated framework, the technician functions at the intersection of culinary arts, pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing, and rigorous quality control. The position requires strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure every product batch meets exacting standards for potency, purity, and consumer safety. The technician’s performance directly impacts product quality, brand reputation, and the organization's ability to maintain its manufacturing license in a zero-tolerance compliance environment.
The shift begins in the gowning area, where the technician dons dedicated personal protective equipment (PPE), including scrubs, hair nets, and non-slip footwear, to prevent cross-contamination. The first task is conducting pre-operational equipment checks. This involves verifying that the industrial mixer, heated kettle, and product depositor have been cleaned, sanitized, and logged from the previous shift. The technician calibrates the analytical scales using certified weights, ensuring accuracy to within 0.01 grams, a critical step for precise cannabinoid dosing.
With the production environment verified, the technician retrieves the official batch record for the day's first run: 20,000 units of 5mg THC raspberry gummies. The process starts with ingredient verification. The technician cross-references the lot numbers on the pectin, sugar, and flavorings against the batch record. The most critical step is verifying the cannabis distillate. The technician confirms the Certificate of Analysis (COA) for the specific distillate batch, noting its exact THC potency (e.g., 91.3%) to calculate the precise weight needed for the entire batch. This calculation is double-checked by a supervisor before the secured cannabis concentrate is signed out from inventory control.
Mid-shift is dedicated to manufacturing. Following the SOP, the technician combines the base ingredients in a steam-jacketed kettle, carefully monitoring the temperature until it reaches the precise target for gelatinization. The pre-weighed cannabis distillate is then introduced. The technician uses a high-shear homogenizer for a specified duration to ensure the oil-based cannabinoid is evenly emulsified throughout the water-based gummy slurry. This step is a critical control point for product safety and consistency; failure to achieve homogeneity would result in some gummies having dangerously high doses while others have none. Once homogenized, the slurry is transferred to an automated depositor, which is programmed to fill silicone molds with a precise volume, ensuring each gummy meets its target weight and dosage.
The final hours of the shift focus on quality assurance, packaging preparation, and sanitation. The technician pulls a random sample of gummies from the batch for in-process quality checks, verifying weight, texture, and appearance. A separate, larger sample is prepared according to state regulations and sent with chain-of-custody documentation to a third-party lab for mandatory potency and safety testing. The technician then initiates the comprehensive cleaning and sanitation of all equipment. Each valve, hose, and surface is disassembled, cleaned, and sanitized according to GMP protocols. Every step is documented in the official cleaning log. The operational cycle ends with a final review of the completed batch record, ensuring every measurement, signature, and time stamp is accurately recorded for compliance and traceability purposes.
The Production Technician - Kitchen holds direct accountability for three critical operational domains:
The Production Technician directly influences key business performance metrics through the following mechanisms:
| Impact Area | Strategic Influence |
|---|---|
| Cash | Prevents cash burn by minimizing failed batches due to incorrect dosing or contamination, which would result in the loss of all associated ingredient and labor costs. |
| Profits | Directly improves gross margin by executing manufacturing processes efficiently, maximizing throughput, and reducing raw material waste. |
| Assets | Preserves the value and extends the operational life of expensive manufacturing equipment through proper operation, cleaning, and preventative maintenance. |
| Growth | Enables business expansion by demonstrating the ability to produce high-quality, consistent products at a scale that can meet increasing market demand. |
| People | Contributes to a culture of safety and quality, protecting fellow employees from workplace hazards and building team morale through shared success. |
| Products | Is the final guardian of product integrity, ensuring every unit that leaves the kitchen is safe, effective, and delivers the consistent experience consumers expect. |
| Legal Exposure | Mitigates liability from product recalls or consumer harm by meticulously following food safety protocols and maintaining defensible production records. |
| Compliance | Ensures adherence to state-mandated manufacturing, labeling, and traceability regulations at every stage of the production process. |
| Regulatory | Creates the physical and documented evidence of compliance that state regulators require during facility inspections and audits. |
Reports To: This position typically reports to the Kitchen Manager or Production Supervisor. In smaller organizations, the role may report directly to the Head of Manufacturing.
Similar Roles: This role is functionally equivalent to positions in traditional consumer packaged goods (CPG) or pharmaceutical industries, such as Compounding Technician, Food Production Operator, Batching Specialist, or Manufacturing Associate. These titles reflect the core responsibilities of following precise formulas, operating machinery, and documenting work in a regulated setting. Candidates from commercial bakeries, beverage bottling plants, or dietary supplement manufacturing facilities possess highly relevant and directly transferable skill sets.
Works Closely With: This position works in close coordination with the Quality Assurance Technician, who verifies their work; the Packaging Lead, who receives the finished bulk product; and the Inventory Control Specialist, who manages the flow of raw materials and cannabis extracts.
Success in this role requires hands-on proficiency with specific manufacturing technologies:
Success in this role is built on experience from other highly structured and regulated production environments:
The role demands a specific set of professional attributes for success:
These organizations create the rules and standards that directly shape the daily responsibilities of this position:
| Acronym/Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Batch Record | A controlled document that provides a complete history of the manufacturing of a single batch of product, including ingredients, weights, and process steps. |
| COA | Certificate of Analysis. A document from an accredited laboratory that confirms the potency and purity of a specific batch of cannabis extract. |
| COGS | Cost of Goods Sold. The direct costs attributable to the production of the goods sold by a company. |
| GMP | Good Manufacturing Practices. A system of processes and procedures that ensures products are consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards. |
| HACCP | Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. A systematic preventive approach to food safety that addresses physical, chemical, and biological hazards. |
| Homogeneity | The state of being of uniform composition throughout. In edibles, it means the cannabinoids are evenly distributed throughout the product batch. |
| Metrc | Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance. A widely used seed-to-sale tracking software mandated by many state regulators. |
| PPE | Personal Protective Equipment. Items such as gloves, hair nets, and lab coats used to protect the employee and prevent product contamination. |
| QA/QC | Quality Assurance / Quality Control. QA is process-oriented to prevent defects, while QC is product-oriented to identify defects. |
| SOP | Standard Operating Procedure. A set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations. |
| SSOP | Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures. Detailed, written instructions for cleaning and sanitizing equipment and facilities. |
| THC | Tetrahydrocannabinol. The primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, the dosage of which is a critical quality attribute in infused products. |
| Traceability | The ability to track any cannabis product from its original plant source through to the final point of sale. A key requirement of seed-to-sale systems. |
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