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 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 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!
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.
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. 
Accuracy and detail-orientedness 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 member.
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 $(phone number removed) 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
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 Alex Chancellor, SHRM-SCP at (url removed) or (phone number removed).
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.