Research and Development Manager - Food and Beverage

Etz Hayim owns and operates the brands Cycling Frog and Lazarus Naturals, as well as a sprawling operation that spans from farming over 300 acres of hemp, extraction, chemical processing, packaging and warehousing to support both brands and private label customers.

Lazarus Naturals was founded in 2016 to provide safe and accessible CBD products for everyone who would benefit from them, regardless of their financial situation and ability to pay, which is why we provide a 60% Assistance Program to veterans and people with disabilities or low-incomes. In order to maintain an affordable price point and our commitment to accessibility for all, we have built a vertically integrated business model, which allows us to walk our talk of developing quality, affordable products - from product inception, development, seed, farming, extraction, finished production formulation and packaging, and distribution.

Cycling Frog is normalizing the consumption of casual use THC products. We are on a mission to make THC convenient, affordable, and fun by making a sessionable THC beverage the same price as a beer or soda. We want to change the way THC is consumed and viewed by our society by focusing on lower potency, ready to drink beverages that can easily fit into anyone’s lifestyle. Under the Federal Farm Bill it is legal to sell these low potency THC products across all 50 states via the internet, and anywhere you can grab a beer.

We are looking for a Research and Development Manager with a background in food and nutritional development to support our Seattle office. The Product Development Manager for Food and Beverage Products is responsible for overseeing all product development initiatives in the field, from initial proof of concept through new product introduction, scale up, and product release.

Beyond technical qualifications and sufficient experience requirements, we look for individuals who can thrive in our work environment and actively challenge themselves. We prioritize applicants who can illustrate their capacity to think critically, approach mistakes positively and constructively, as well as the ability to claim responsibility for their actions, whether good or bad. It is equally important that any applicant is able to exhibit an appreciation for proactive honesty and marked flexibility in the face of abrupt change. Moreover, we prefer applicants who share our passion and pride in the work we all contribute to as a team.

This role reports to the Director of Research and Development, and will be based in Seattle, Washington.

Responsibilities and Duties

● Design and develop novel food and nutritional supplement formulations.

● Effectively manage a small team of product development scientists and technicians to meet product development deadlines and goals, and ensure staff perform their duties in line with established procedures.

● Provide training and performance-related feedback to direct reports as and when necessary.

● Perform optimization characterization of formulation processes.

● Design and execute bench and pilot scale experimentation, ensuring suitability to manufacturing process in advance of product roll out.

● Analyze data, write technical reports and communicate findings to management and other team members.

● Proactively monitor, investigate, and resolve issues related to formula stability and product safety.

● Serve as a reliable technical resource for product characterization and manufacturing support.

● Track and maintain inventory of consumables and raw materials relevant to testing.

● Stay up to date on latest food and beverage trends and techniques.

Qualifications

● BS in food science, biology, chemistry or a related science. Graduate degree is strongly preferred.

● Minimum 5 years of senior level experience developing products with extensive formulation knowledge across various use states (e.g. solids, water soluble powders, emulsions).

● Proven track record of managing cross-functional teams and balancing multiple projects in a fast paced environment.

● Extensive experience managing product development from proof of concept, through scale up and transition to manufacturing.

● Strong verbal and written communication skills, experience with writing of technical reports and controlled documents.

● Previous experience working in a GMP/GLP environment.

Annual Salary: $90,000.00 - $111,000.00

At Etz Hayim Holdings, S.P.C., we are committed to taking proactive measures to leave the world a better place than we found it. Our efforts encompass the prioritization of people and the planet. As such, we are resolved to the following goals for the year 2024 and beyond:

● Reducing our Waste and Practicing Environmental Stewardship

● Giving Back Time to Our Neighbors and Planet

● Sharing Wealth with the Most in Need

● Seeding the World with the Wonders of Hemp Cannabinoids

In order to hold ourselves to account, first and foremost, we will continue to press ourselves to adhere to our already-innate values of social and economic responsibility. Furthermore, to better hold ourselves to environmentally-responsible American enterprises.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits (medical, vision, and dental insurance)

• Employee discount program
• Fully stocked kitchen
• 401K plan
• FSA & commuter benefits

This is a full-time role based in Seattle, Washington.

Interested parties are encouraged to include a cover letter detailing why you think you could be a great fit, along with an updated resume. Thanks, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Veterans strongly encouraged to apply.

Lazarus Naturals is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.