Winemaker (Enology Outeach Specialist)

OUTREACH SPECIALIST, ENOLOGY

 

The Department of Horticulture (www.hrt.msu.edu) at Michigan State University (MSU) invites applications for a 12-month, 100% extension Outreach Specialist position in Enology (Winemaking).  The successful candidate will develop an outreach program in enology to support the rapidly expanding Michigan wine industry.  Position responsibilities include advising and educating winemaking and viticulture clientele, transfer of new and existing technologies, and processing of small samples for educational and research purposes in the MSU Research Winery.  The successful candidate will establish collaborations with colleagues at MSU, members of Industry Councils, and industry personnel with the goal of high quality wine production.  Specific responsibilities include:

 Provide advice to winery clientele.Provide educational opportunities for current and potential winery clientele through curricula development and delivery. Verbally deliver information through venues such as technical meetings, workshops and short courses. Deliver written information using different platforms such as web pages, electronic newsletters, and trade journals. Process small batch samples for industry and research experiments at the MSU Research Winery. Test and demonstrate new techniques at cooperating wineries and vineyards. Collaborate with viticulture research and extension faculty and staff to assess the influence of cultural practices and variety/clone on wine quality.Collaborate with Food Science and Human Nutrition faculty and staff to enhance cooperative efforts on fermentation science disciplines and wine sample evaluations. Collaborate with colleagues in other plant science disciplines as opportunities and needs arise.  Serve as an information conduit for wine industry issues in collaboration with the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council. Assist with the staging of the annual Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition in cooperation with the staff of the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council.

 

The MSU Research Winery is housed in a dedicated building (3876 sq ft) consisting of three large temperature controlled rooms (1634, 629 and 415 sq ft), a laboratory (310 sq. ft.), a pad for stemming and crushing (310 sq ft), and a conference room (330 sq ft). The largest temperature controlled room is used for warm temperature (30C) fermentations, general wine production, and filtration and bottling, the smallest is used for cool fermentations (10C), and the other is used for wine stabilization and temperatures @ -4 C.  The facility has the capacity to produce microvins ranging from 4 to 400 liters each. In peak years as many as 140 different batches of wine have been produced and quantities were in the range of 7,500 to 11,000 liters.  The Facility has basket presses for small batches with both hydraulic and bladder press capability. There is significant storage space for equipment and containers and three large, dedicated coolers not attached to this building that are used to maintain wines in a library for both research and educational purposes.  

 

Applicants must hold a Bachelors degree or preferably a Master?s degree in enology, wine science or fermentation science and must have three years of commercial winemaking experience. The successful candidate must have excellent communication skills and expertise in analytical chemistry, microbiology, and process engineering. Consideration of applicants will begin July 15, 2006.  The target start date is October 1, 2006.  Please submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, and statement of outreach interests relevant to this position and three reference letters sent separately to: Dr. Amy Iezzoni, Search Committee Chair, A391 Plant and Soils Science Building, Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1325, i ezzoni@msu.edu .  Initial applications must be received by postal mail. MSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution.