Associate Food Scientist - Spreads
Voyage Foods, United States
Job Description
Who we are
At Voyage Foods, our mission is to make delicious, sustainable and accessible foods that are better for people and the planet. All of our products work together to support and sustain a food system designed for everyone, now and into the future. We're a team of food scientists, CPG experts, and professionals with a passion for making good food available for generations to come.
What do peanut butter, chocolate and coffee have in common? They're some of our favorite foods, but are inaccessible and unsustainable. That's why we created our Nut-Free Spreads, Cocoa-Free Chocolate and Bean-Free Coffee. From food allergies to climate change and unjust labor practices, the foods we love are in serious need of an upgrade. Our future-proofed foods are always top 9 allergen-free, vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, affordable and most importantly, utterly delicious.
In 2022, Voyage Foods announced our $36 million Series A to enable the growth of our teams as well as support demand generated from our retail and B2B partnerships. Voyage Foods’ Series A was led by UBS O-Connor and Level One Fund with participation from Horizons Ventures, SOSV’s Indie Bio, and others. It’s a great time to join our team!
How we work
We’re a rapidly growing team of people who value diversity in all its forms. We love adding new perspectives and appreciate those who ask questions that help us challenge assumptions, explore new directions, and improve what we’ve already built. We are a group of like-minded difference makers. Curiosity drives our development. We have tenacity and a risk-taking mentality at every level of our organization to keep challenging normalcy. We believe it’s our responsibility to create an environment in which every person can bring their full, authentic selves to work. We push each other to be our best and do our products proud. Read more about us by visiting our careers page!
About the role
We are looking for a product developer to join our Ramp;D team as an Associate Food Scientist. In this capacity, the developer will help our product development team develop and prepare prototype formulations for many food and beverage types, with a specific emphasis on our nut-free spreads category. Additionally, they will also assist with preparation of sensory samples, scale up and commercialization of formulas, and shelf life testing. This is an exciting opportunity for a product developer that is looking to continue to grow their career and learn new skills. The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a fast-paced, evolving environment and is excited about contributing to an organization on the cutting edge of food science and technology. As we are a start-up and small team, responsibilities can vary daily, and will also include general lab operations.
This is an exempt, non-supervisory position based at our Oakland, CA HQ location and will report directly to the Senior Scientist - Spreads.
What you’ll do
- Prepare small and medium-scale formulation batches of various food and beverage products
- Conduct experiments that assist with product scale-up
- Observe and document formulation and scale-up trials with a keen eye for detail
- Support with sensory analysis of products on an ongoing basis.
- Conduct shelf life testing on new prototypes
- Communicate effectively with related Ramp;D functions including analytical and flavor teams
- Assist and support with experimental design, execution, analysis and reporting of assigned projects
- Safely handle and prepare laboratory chemical solutions
- Document all experimental procedures and report findings to your direct supervisor.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
What makes a great candidate
- 1 year laboratory experience and/or 2 college-level laboratory course experience
- 1-2 years product development experience in food industry a plus
- B.S. Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology or a related field a plus
- Knowledge of the scientific method, use of basic lab equipment including analytical balances, and excel spreadsheets are essential
- Demonstrated ability to creatively problem solve issues as they arise
- Excellent communication and organizational skills
Physical Demands
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
Compensation
United States-based roles only: The Annual salary for this role is between $65,000 and $87,000 plus immediate participation in our benefits program (health, dental, 401k and many others), utilization of our generous paid time off and, where applicable, participation in our incentive programs. All employees are owners of Voyage Foods and receive an equity grant as part of their total packa