Senior Flavor Scientist

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 often 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.

Our Flavor Scientist “Flavorist” is a key member of the R&D team, helping create and enhance flavor formulations to support the development of our food and beverage products. The Flavorist will determine the flavoring needs of each product, synthesize flavors in our R&D lab, and make application recommendations. The Flavorist will lead internal efforts to build out the flavor technology program including creating reaction flavors, top notes, and developing flavor optimization/risk management strategies. The Flavorist will work cross-functionally in a lab environment and coordinate with other lab personnel to conduct experiments, gather data, and report the results.

This is an exempt, non-supervisory position based at our Oakland, CA HQ location and will report to the Director of Research Integration.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and enhance custom flavor formulations for our portfolio of food and CPG products.
• Apply a thorough technical understanding of flavor raw materials into the design, quality and stability of flavor systems.
• Participate in the production of new flavors while troubleshooting any technical and/or formula-related issues that may arise.
• Serve as a flavor expert for the R&D team, including mentoring colleagues at varying experience levels.
• Conduct relevant experiments to explore flavor generation pathways and apply findings in ongoing product development.
• Partner with members of the flavor and product development teams on managing technical timelines for flavor development of products.
• Develop and apply testing methods to assess stability of flavors through application and processing.
• Assess new flavor technologies and ingredients.
• Maintain organized and efficient laboratory equipment and environment, including maintaining records for easy retrieval and clarity.
• Communicate and collaborate across the company in a professional manner.
• Support the regulatory, quality, and sensory teams on an ongoing basis.

Requirements

What makes you successful / What makes a great candidate

• Possess a strong understanding of flavor chemistry and a solid foundation in food science principles.
• Excellent sensory skills and vocabulary.
• Well-rounded flavor creation experience across multiple product categories.
• Knowledge of solution preparation, chemical hygiene, and use of lab equipment
• Drive new initiatives with enthusiasm and seamlessly collaborate with cross-functional teams, bringing together diverse talents to create better flavors.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills, specifically the ability to connect scientific data to real tangible meaning in the food and beverage products you analyze.
• Accurate and detail-oriented in all aspects of your role.
• Comfortability and ability to thrive in ambiguity and a start-up environment.
• Curiosity with a penchant for experimentation, exploration, and collaboration.
• Society of Flavor Chemists membership preferred, but not mandatory.
  
  

Physical Demands

• Tasting and comparing the tastes of a full range of foods and food products (including dairy, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, grains, nuts, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, spices, and other foods) for different characteristics, such as appearance, smell, taste, flavor, and quality of ingredients.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Be able to perform the tasks related to compound production flavors, if needed.
  
  

Compensation

United States-based roles only: The annual salary for this role is between $93,075-$125,925 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 package. At Voyage Foods, we approach each individual's compensation with a promise of fair market value and internal equity commensurate with experience and specific skill set.

Benefits

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision Plans
• STD/LTD, Life and AD&D policies
• FSA, HRA, and Mental Health Program Benefits
• 401K Program
• Commuter Benefits
• 20 Paid Days Off + 9 Company Holidays
• Paid Family Leave Program
• Ongoing Team Events, including Weekly Friday Lunches
  
  

Voyage Foods is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Voyage Foods is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact Sean Hoy at seanhoy@voyagefoods.com.

Voyage Foods will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background check.