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)

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