Benjamin Self
Chemical engineer with 15+ years of experience in industrial quality control and regulatory compliance
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About
Chemical engineer with 15+ years of experience in an industrial quality control lab and regulatory compliance at state and federal level.
Background includes undergraduate research in green chemistry, environmental contaminant analysis, and field sampling techniques for superfund site cleanup. Seeking to apply technical problem solving in an environmental science role with Headwaters.
Experience
Co-founder and Brewmaster at Local Oak Brewing Company (2018-01 – 2025-01)
- Co-founded a small brewery, and managed all technical, operational, and regulatory functions
- Oversaw permitting and compliance with TTB, ABC, municipal agencies, and state/federal tax authorities
- In charge of all equipment installation, process development, production scheduling, and QC standards
- Implemented accurate tax reporting, documentation, and audit-ready compliance
- Successfully grew the business and completed its sale in 2025
Brewmaster and Development Lead at Uptown Brewing Company (2016-01 – 2018-01)
- Worked with municipal regulators to define environmental compliance expectations for a new brewing facility in an urban environment
- Designed wastewater mitigation systems ensuring safe discharge to local water treatment
- Developed complete protocols for microbial and contamination testing
- Managed all production, sanitation, and staff training
QC manager at The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery (2014-01 – 2016-01)
- Modernized QC protocols and resolved long-standing contamination issues
- Set up a QC lab on site for regular testing to support nationwide distribution
- Introduced wastewater and environmental documentation procedures in support of compliance with local laws
QC Manager at Good People Brewing Company (2009-01 – 2014-01)
Promoted from intern
- Created the company's first QC program for microbiological contamination and stability testing
- Created a program for tying QC data into sensory analysis for other brewery employees
- Transitioned these testing protocols into a large-scale production brewery
- Created environmental and wastewater regulatory guidelines for municipal officials
- Served as brewery liaison for environmental compliance and communication
QC engineer at Reno Refractories (2007-01 – 2009-01)
- Primary focus was failure analysis in refractory ceramics
- Coordinate with plant operators to go on site, recover failed product (either ours or our competitors), and use myriad analytical techniques to understand cause of failure
- Design practical solutions for product improvement based on real world conditions in high temp applications
Education
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering – The University of Alabama- Tuscaloosa (2003 – 2007)
