Job Description
Position Summary:
The Food Scientist is responsible for leading benchtop formulations for internal and external parties and being a key person in the commercialization of benchtop formulas. They are also the lead person responsible for maintaining the lab facilities. They will work with the Head of R&D/Product Development Manager/R&D Technician to develop and maintain SOPs for the lab facilities. They will also support QA, Marketing and Regulatory teams as needed.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Develop and commercialize new formulas
- Develop protocols for developing/reformulating formulas and commercialization process for manufacturers
- Reformulate current product lines
- Maintain ingredient library (physically and digitally)
- Receive, organize and maintain ingredients and finished products at the lab
- Maintain sensory logs for all finished products
- Send samples out for lab testing
- Lead internal shelf-life studies
- Evaluate research studies and develop protocols
- Evaluate and compare finished goods and ingredients between manufacturers and suppliers
- Source backup ingredient suppliers and manufacturers
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)
- Ingredient functionality knowledge for powdered beverages and ready to drink beverages. Experience developing gummies is a plus.
- Lab research evaluation for lab trials (human and non-human)
- Experience building out/managing/organizing running a portion of a lab
- Sensory skills for taste, visual and smell of finished goods and raw materials
- Knowledgeable in FDA/FTC regulations pertaining to dietary supplements and food products
- Conduct technical risk assessments with current and new ingredients
- Effectively communicate key opportunities between cross functional teams for scientific information
- Write, follow and maintain SOPs
- Set KPI/goals and expectations for the lab to determine ROI on the physical space
- Ensure lab cleanliness and upkeep
- Evaluate lab data to determine the safety and efficacy of ingredients and finished products.
Education and Requirements
- High School Diploma or equivalent required.
- B.S. in Nutrition, Food Engineering, Food Technology, Food Science, or similar is required
- MS. in Nutrition, Food Engineering, Food Technology, Food Science, or similar is preferred.
- Recommended at least 2-7 years of applicable work experience
- Driver's license and reliable transportation
- Proficient in Microsoft and Google tools (Word, Excel, Sheets etc)
- Adequate sensory skills to differentiate products by taste and smell
- No food aversions, allergies, caffeine or melatonin sensitivities due to physical ingestion of products
- Scientific research and problem-solving skills
- Project Management and cross-functional collaboration
- Ability to troubleshoot independently
- Ability to work independently and as a team in-person and remotely
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment
In the absence of the Product Development Manager or Head of R&D the employee will oversee the daily duties and responsibilities regarding operational workflow and adherence of the SOPs and cGMPs of the office.
Physical Demands
- Requires extended periods of sitting and standing to perform work
- Be able to lift and transport material up to 45lbs
Work Location
- On-Site (some remote work if needed)
- Santa Ana, CA
- Comfortable traveling as needed (up to 25% for travel)
Job Tags
Fixed term contract, Work experience placement, Remote job,