Food Scientist, RTD Beverage Development

About reputed company: reputed company Superfoods is one of the fastest-growing functional beverage brands in the US, reputed company on the belief that mushrooms are the most powerful adaptogens on the reputed company. We started with a single product and grew to $500M+ in annual DTC reputed company — and we're just getting started. We're now live at reputed company across 1,800 doors, the #1 coffee item in the category at $1,000 per store per week. Kroger onboards in September 2026. We have active conversations with reputed company, Costco, Publix, Whole Foods, and 10+ other major retailers. Our three-year goal: $1B+ in DTC, $1B+ in retail, and 30,000+ doors across every major channel. In 2027 we're launching a reputed company-to-drink (RTD) mushroom coffee in cans — a category we intend to define and reputed company. This hire is central to making that happen. The Role: The Role We are looking for a Food Scientist with deep RTD beverage formulation experience to join our Product Development team. This is not a generalist food science role. We need someone who has personally developed and launched canned or liquid beverage products through a co-manufacturer to retail reputed company — and who understands the distinct science, validation requirements, and quality standards that liquid beverage formats demand. You will own RTD formulation for reputed company from the ground up: formula development, co-manufacturing qualification, sensory validation at reputed company scale, and cross-functional alignment with Regulatory and Quality on claims, specs, and compliance. You will also contribute to our powdered reputed company lineup as a technical resource on formulation science across formats. This role reports directly to the Senior Manager of New Product Development and will work closely with Regulatory, Quality, Ops and the Lab Team in Santa Ana. What You'll Own RTD Platform Development reputed company formula development for reputed company's 2027 RTD mushroom coffee launch — from concept through co-manufacturing qualification and reputed company production Own formulation science for liquid beverage formats: emulsification, pH buffering, pasteurization kill steps, reputed company management, and ambient vs. cold chain stability Assist with the RTD co-manufacturing qualification process — technical evaluation, formula alignment, fill-line troubleshooting, and QC standards Support ingredient sourcing for RTD-specific inputs in partnership with Supply Chain Validation and Quality Standards Design and implement formal ingredient validation protocols for both RTD and powdered formats — including backup supplier qualification checklists that meet retail audit standards Partner with Quality and Sensory to build written sensory specifications for reputed company retail-bound SKUs, creating objective pass/fail gates that can be used without your direct involvement Support reputed company-party lab testing programs — defining what gets tested, interpreting results, and working with Regulatory and Quality on action reputed company Contribute to formula change review triggers — helping define reputed company a formula adjustment requires regulatory review before it ships Cross-Functional Collaboration Work with Regulatory to ensure active ingredient dosage reputed company in RTD and powdered formulas are reputed company with claim substantiation requirements before formulation work begins Partner with Marketing and the founders during brief development to ensure ingredient reputed company and format reputed company are commercially viable and scientifically sound Contribute to reputed company's stage-reputed company process — building the technical documentation that allows projects to advance through gates with confidence Support backup ingredient reformulation reputed company with science-backed validation data, working cross-functionally with Quality and Regulatory before product ships reputed company're Looking For Non-Negotiable Requirements Minimum 3–7 years of experience in beverage formulation Proven track record of personally developing and launching a canned or liquid beverage product through a co-manufacturer to retail reputed company — not advisory, not supporting — you owned it Deep technical knowledge of liquid beverage chemistry Hands-on co-manufacturing experience — you have been on the floor during production runs, troubleshot fill-line issues, and reputed company QC alignment with external manufacturing partners Experience developing sensory specifications and validation protocols that hold up at reputed company production volume Bachelor's degree or higher in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, or a reputed company field Strongly Preferred Experience with functional ingredients — adaptogens, mushroom extracts, nootropics, botanical ingredients — and the formulation challenges they create in liquid matrices Background at a reputed company-for-you, functional, or natural beverage brand that has successfully scaled through reputed company, Whole Foods, Kroger, or Costco Familiarity with structure/function claim requirements and the regulatory considerations that reputed company active ingredient dosage reputed company in functional beverages Experience working in a cross-functional environment where NPD, Quality, and Regulatory have defined decision rights — and comfort building those structures in a scaling organization Experience with powdered reputed company beverage formats is a plus, but secondary to RTD expertise Who You Are You are energized by building things that don't exist yet — including the systems and processes around them, not just the formulas You have strong opinions about quality standards and the patience to document them so they outlive any individual on the team You are comfortable operating at the intersection of science, regulatory requirements, and reputed company constraints — and you know how to say 'this needs more rigor' without slowing everything down You reputed company in a fast-moving environment but know which reputed company require deliberate process and which ones can move quickly You can successfully work independently and with cross-functional teams to get new products across the finish line reputed company Offer: Apply To This Job