Lab Coordinator / Quality Manager - Amsterdam, Netherlands

Attesa Coffee is a start-up specialty green coffee sourcing and distribution company headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. We work directly with producers at the origin to bring our customers (specialty coffee roasters) high-quality coffees safely, on time, and consistently with the use of efficient digital frameworks. We believe in traceability through the chain and are highly committed to transparency towards all our stakeholders.

We are seeking a dedicated Lab Coordinator / Quality Manager to oversee our coffee quality control processes. This role involves evaluating green coffee quality, managing coffee samples, and ensuring high standards are maintained across all our products. This position will lead the Amsterdam QC lab and sampling operations and execute the quality control protocols as prescribed by management. It will also be in charge of further developing Attesa Coffee’s QC related processes.

Tasks

• Documentation, Record-keeping and Communication:

1. Identify and document coffee samples from the time they are received.
2. Maintain accurate records of every coffee received and evaluated.
3. Maintain accurate quality information across platforms.
4. Proactively communicate with origin and sales teams to manage the flow of samples and information.

• Cupping and Quality Control:

1. Observe, measure and record needed aspects of the coffee (color, moisture content, green coffee odor, sample roasting details/observations, and other information required).
2. Effectively sample roast to the established protocols for evaluation purposes.
3. Set up clean cupping sessions (tastings) to standard in a routine or regimen for the Attesa Coffee team, ensuring all equipment and areas are tidy
4. Cup coffees, using agreed upon protocols and capturing results in database
5. Clean up cupping; Maintain complete cleanliness of cupping area, dishwasher, sink, grinders and sample library.
6. Evaluate green coffee quality through physical grading and cupping.
7. Facilitate and prepare cupping sessions to assess coffees from various origins.
8. Capture and maintain testing results and provide regular feedback to the sales and sourcing team.
9. Roast coffee samples and manage / improve roasting profiles.
10. Prepare product samples (packing, labeling, shipments).
11. Oversee and manage the coffee sample database.
12. Participates as a key decision maker in all coffee selection and approval of sample cuppings
13. Help train new team members in sample roasting and cupping skills as needed

• Packaging and Fulfillment:

1. Receive coffees to repackage for sampling and Attesa Coffee Open program.
2. Monitor and report coffee sample inventory to avoid waste and losses.
3. Prepare and ship samples to customers in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
4. Communicate supply needs and maintain a well-organized sample room.

• Sampling and Inspection:

1. Conduct sensory evaluations and laboratory tests to assess coffee quality.
2. Use cupping techniques to evaluate taste profiles and identify defects.
3. Record and analyze data from quality tests and inspections.
4. Prepare reports summarizing coffee quality and provide improvement recommendations.
5. Communicate quality standards to coffee producers and suppliers.
6. Purchase of materials for shipping samples and office supplies.

• Sales Support:

1. Prepare cuppings for larger groups of customers in the Warsaw Lab.
2. Organize the workspace in the new office in Warsaw.
3. Record all the sample shipments from origin and to the customers.
4. Be a point of contact for all sample information

Requirements

• Must have a strong understanding of sensory evaluation of coffee. Experience with structured coffee cupping and green coffee evaluation required.
• Industry qualification, such as Q Grader, preferred.
• Must have solid understanding of roasting concepts
• Previous experience in a purchasing, administrative or logistics position highly desirable
• Must have experience with excel spreadsheets and database management
• Fluent in both spoken and written English; must be based in Poland

Skills and Strength

• Detail-oriented: you will leave no bean misplaced and no roast undocumented
• Process-oriented: your obsessive to-do lists and organized calendar can speak for themselves
• Flexible and self-motivated to take on new projects as assigned
• A consistently clear communicator, whether written, verbal or slurp
• Must be able to work independently to support the demands of a dynamic and partially remote team.
• A natural collaborator, excited to work on a range of projects with people from different teams
• A master multi-tasker: you love working on lots of different types of projects at the same time and never let a ball drop
• Interested in participating in the piecemeal logistics of specialty coffee trading, and in learning an immense amount about the realities of coffee buying and importation in the process

Nice to have - the ability to take photos and videos for marketing purposes

Benefits

• Work in an entrepreneurial and ownership driven environment
• Opportunity to grow within a young and dynamic international team
• Core knowledge and workings of coffee importing / sourcing
• Opportunity to take part in the largest coffee events in the world

Attesa Coffee is a specialty green coffee importer based in Amsterdam. We work closely with trusted farmers and producing partners at origin to ensure reliable, consistent & transparent sourcing.

We only source high quality coffees, with a strong focus on traceability and long-term partnerships. We also offer organic certified green beans from various origins. Our coffees are tested by certified Q-graders initially at source and finally in Amsterdam. Most of our coffees score between 83 - 90 points on the SCAA scale.

Our coffee is imported to Rotterdam and safely stored at our partner warehouse, from where we facilitate swift delivery across the entire EU. This highly efficient logistics process ensures that coffee is always delivered to the doorstep on time and allows us to meet the requirements and expectations of our customers - specialty roasters.