Key skills
Communication
About this role
Role Overview
- Identify white space opportunities – including emerging trends – within the beverage category and develop innovation concepts informed by consumer insights, market data, the evolving ingredient landscape, and business needs
- Lead all aspects of product development to conceptualize, design, and develop new products, translating product briefs into great tasting, scalable formulations that meet cost targets
- Apply deep experience working with stevia‑sweetened formulations to inform formulation decisions and product optimization
- Evaluate existing flavor lineup for opportunities to enhance taste and improve costs
- Conduct benchtop trials to assess solubility, dispersion, flavor delivery, and shelf-life indicators
- Apply iterative testing and refinement to improve product performance across storage and distribution conditions
- Collaborate cross-functionally throughout the innovation process to ensure that all projects stay on strategy, on budget, and on time
- Support scale-up and commercialization processes at co-pack facilities
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or a related scientific discipline
- 5+ years of experience in the beverage industry with product development and regulatory responsibilities
- Demonstrated experience formulating with stevia and qualification as a trained stevia taster, with the ability to evaluate sweetness, bitterness, and overall sensory impact across liquid applications
- Experience working within structured Stage Gate or NPD processes
- Working knowledge of FDA regulations and ingredient compliance
- Experience developing talent, leading teams, and managing cross-functional relationships
- Familiarity with food and beverage laboratory SOPs, safety, and GLP protocols
- Familiar with scientific principles in beverage and ingredient development, including sweetener systems
- Regulatory background and experience with current FDA standards
- Hands on experience with Operations or Mechanical processes
- Experience managing vendor partners
- Excellent communication skills and ability to distill complex data into clear and actionable narratives.
Benefits
- An array of medical plans
- Dental
- Vision
- Group Life Insurance
- Short-term disability + Long-term disability
- Flexible Spending Accounts: Medical, Dependent and Limited Use
- Health Savings Account
- Accident Insurance
- Critical Illness Insurance
- Hospital Indemnity Insurance
- Legal Insurance
- Travel Assistance
- Employee Assistance Program
- Pet Insurance
- 401k Plan (Traditional and Roth)
- Vacation, Personal/Sick Days, and Holidays
- Professional development contributions
- And of course, all the Zevia you can drink!