How to hire a winery worker

How to hire a winery worker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step winery worker hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a winery worker job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new winery worker
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The winery worker hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A winery worker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, winery workers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of winery worker salaries for various roles:

   Type of Winery Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Winery Worker		$12-18
   Production Worker	Production workers are employees who are usually seen in an assembly line in a company's factory. They are responsible for a specific part of the production of goods for the company... Show more	$11-18
   Factory Worker	A factory worker is responsible for manufacturing products using appropriate machinery and equipment. Factory workers' duties include processing the products based on the required quantity and specifications, labeling and safely packaging the merchandise, ensuring that the items are free of any defects before distribution, monitoring the supply inventories, reporting defected machines and equipment, and maintaining the cleanliness of the production area... Show more	$10-18

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Wine
   • Harvest
   • GMP
   • Chemical Additions
   • Pallets
   • Safety Procedures
   • Hand Tools
   • Shovels
   • Barrel
   • Portable Pumps
   • Hoists
   • Pump Overs
   • Processing Equipment
   • Clean Tanks

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and instruct workers in the art of food preparation as culinary team leader.
   • Operate equipment to clarify and filter manufacture goods, make additions to wine, blend and transfer wine and concentrates.
   • Machine operator/Forklift driver- operating wine bottling machines, driving forklift, and cleaning machines
   • Operate RF scanning equipment to account and inventory manufacture products.

   More winery worker duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your winery worker job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A winery worker can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, winery workers' average salary in wyoming is 47% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level winery workers 36% less than senior-level winery workers.
   • Certifications. A winery worker with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a winery worker's salary.

   Average winery worker salary

   $15.24hourly

   $31,692 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level winery worker salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average winery worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$38,155	$18
   2	Oregon	$36,512	$18

   Average winery worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	AEG	$41,884	$20.14	1
   2	Constellation Brands	$37,325	$17.94
   3	E. & J. Gallo Winery	$36,278	$17.44
   4	The Wine Company	$35,426	$17.03
   5	Volt Systems LLC	$33,989	$16.34
   6	Kendall-Jackson	$31,813	$15.29
   7	Kelly Services	$31,797	$15.29	22
   8	Adecco	$30,875	$14.84	99
   9	PrideStaff	$30,741	$14.78
   10	Alkar Human Resources	$30,477	$14.65
   11	Jackson Family Wines	$30,012	$14.43
   12	Randstad North America, Inc.	$29,374	$14.12

4. Writing a winery worker job description

   A winery worker job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a winery worker job description:

   Winery worker job description example

   Calling all foodies and music lovers! City Winery is hosting our National Hiring Day Celebration and you are invited!
   
   Join us to find the job that is best for you! Servers, bartenders, service assistants, porters, box office staff, dishwashers, line cooks, hosts, event staff, and MORE.
   
   City Winery strives to deliver the highest-end combined culinary and cultural experience to our customers who are passionate in sharing wine, music, and culinary arts. We are a unique facility, combining a fully functioning winery with intimate concerts, food & wine classes, private events in a variety of configurations, and fine dining. We have created a compelling mix for our sophisticated clientele of foodies, and active cultural patrons—bringing the wine country experience to the middle of a large city.
   
   We are thrilled and fortunate to be able to resume business and provide a safe workplace for our employees. In the interest of safety for all City Winery employees, the Company requires all employees to be vaccinated unless due to a bona fide medical and/or sincerely held religious reason in which case a reasonable accommodation will be provided unless it causes an undue hardship to City Winery.
   Visit City Winery Chicago for a Job Fair 10/19/22 from 3pm - 6pm or explore open career opportunities online.
   Please bring along an updated copy of your resume if possible.
   Date: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19th Time: 3pm - 6pm
   Location: 1200 W. Randolph Chicago, IL 60607
   Open Positions: · Servers · Bartenders · Service Assistants (Bussers and Runners) · Hosts · Line Cooks · Prep Cooks · Expeditor · Dishwasher · Porter
   Perks & Benefits! Comped concerts and dining experiences, employee merchandise and meal discounts, FREE family meal, 401K Retirement Plan, Volunteer Opportunities, Flexible Spending Accounts including pre-tax commuter benefits and parking, & more depending on position and other Company eligibility requirements.
   We use eVerify to confirm U.S. Employment eligibility.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find winery workers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any winery workers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level winery workers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your winery worker job on Zippia to find and recruit winery worker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting winery workers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new winery worker

   Once you have selected a candidate for the winery worker position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new winery worker first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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