Senior Food 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.

How We Work

We’re a rapidly growing team of people who value diversity in all its forms. We love adding new perspectives and appreciate those who ask questions that help us challenge assumptions, explore new directions, and improve what we’ve already built. We are a group of like-minded difference makers. Curiosity drives our development. We have tenacity and a risk-taking mentality at every level of our organization to keep challenging normalcy. We believe it’s our responsibility to create an environment in which every person can bring their full, authentic selves to work. We push each other to be our best and do our products proud.

This is an onsite position based at our  Oakland, CA location and will report directly to the VP of R&D.

The Senior/Principal Food Scientist will lead in-depth scientific research to enhance the understanding and performance of Voyage Foods' current product lines. In this role, you will focus on evaluating and improving our existing products by investigating technical aspects, identifying opportunities for optimization, and ensuring alignment with our mission of creating sustainable and innovative food solutions. This position, based within the research and development team, is critical to driving the business forward.

What you’ll do

• Identify and develop new technologies and innovation opportunities to advance product performance.
• Design and execute experiments to improve existing products and assess new ingredients/processes.
• Contribute to the intellectual property (IP) strategy and generate supporting data for filings.
• Document and communicate research findings to key stakeholders.
• Present regular progress reports, highlighting challenges and solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including other R&D teams as well as production and quality control, to ensure product success.
• Apply quantitative methods to analyze data, evaluate results, and drive product improvements.
• Mentor junior scientists, fostering their professional growth.
• Manage research project timelines and ensure on-time delivery.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

What makes you successful / What makes a great candidate

• Ph.D. in Food Science or related discipline
• 5+ years in chocolate, confectionery, or related R&D desired
• Experience in the physicochemical analysis of foods (GC, HPLC, NIR, Wet Chemistry, DSC, Rheometer).
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to analyze data and make informed decisions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience using statical software and electronic lab notebooks

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 

Benefits

Compensation

United States-based roles only: The annual salary for this role is between $124,800 - $187,200 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
• Generous Paid Time 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. 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.