Senior Scientist, Product Development & Scale Up

At New Culture, we make cow cheese without the cow. Dairy cheese is unsustainable and plant-based cheeses don’t work. Ours are sustainable, healthy, ethical, and indistinguishable from current dairy options in taste, texture, and function. Using fermentation to produce dairy proteins, food science to combine those proteins with natural ingredients, and traditional cheesemaking methods to make any cheese of choice, we are bringing about a new culture for the cheese industry.

We are a Bay Area-based, venture-backed startup in an exciting growth and rapid expansion phase. We are looking for an experienced and motivated Senior Scientist, Product Development & Scale Up to join us in our mission of producing animal-free dairy cheese. By being one of our early employees, you will have significant say and responsibility in determining the success and outcomes of New Culture. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-moving collaborative environment, and will have a deep understanding of novel food research, design and development.

What will you be doing:

• Work with cross-functional teams and external advisors to optimize and commercialize the world’s first animal-free dairy mozzarella cheese 
• Apply hands-on food chemistry, analysis, polymer science, microbiology, process development and scale-up to develop, evaluate and enhance cheese organoleptic quality, functional performance, and shelf-life
• Utilize understanding of commercial-scale operations and implementation to participate in/lead the identification of product specifications, processing methods, and control parameters
• Support scale-up activities in-house and technology transfer to contract manufacturers
• Qualify ingredients for new formulations and alternate suppliers for existing ingredients
• Conduct in-house sensory testing and organize external sensory panels
• Participate in IP generation and applications development 
• Collaborate with chefs and industry partners to craft and deliver internal and external product demonstrations and culinary events
• Keep meticulous records of R&D activities (product iterations, new ingredient trials, processing methods, analytical assays and results)

What we expect from you:

• PhD in Physics/Chemistry/Materials Science/Food Science/Food Engineering (or other relevant area of study) with 3 years of relevant industry experience, or Masters with 7 years of relevant industry experience - not including academic research and/or experience affiliated with academic pilot plant facilities    
• Experience with novel food product development and troubleshooting ingredient functionality 
• Technical expertise in ingredient chemistry as it relates to functionality and stability in food systems 
• Scale-up experience
• Driving the process development and optimization for product scale up, hitting all the product quality specs
• Liaising with internal and external parties to drive successful production trials and runs 
• Working knowledge of food safety and quality principles and experience with CGMP, HACCP, QA/QC standards and testing frameworks
• Hands-on experience with texture analysis, rheology, and emulsification instruments and methods
• Strong data analysis and interpretation skills 
• Ability to work cross-functionally and adapt to dynamic workflows and shifting priorities 
• Creative and resourceful problem solving skills
• Strong communication skills for sharing progress updates with stakeholders as well as for customer-facing events
• Self-starter and goal-oriented with team-first mentality 

Even better if you have:

• Dairy R&D experience and have developed food and/or beverage products with plant or ideally dairy proteins
• Concept to launch product development and commercialization experience in foodservice and retail
• Familiarity with FDA (GRAS) standards and regulations for dairy and dairy alternatives
• Experience coordinating and conducting sensory panels 
• Proficiency in Genesis R&D® Food Formulation & Labeling Software or equivalent, and familiarity with FDA nutrition and health claims
• Previous experience at a start-up or small business  

How to know you are a great fit:

We look for candidates who are team players, learners, doers, and hungry to make a difference in the world. Creativity and resourcefulness, honesty and empathy go a long way. Our five core values guide us on our path to achieving our mission. 

Determination with Kindness | Have the resolve, the drive, and the will to succeed, but do it with empathy, encouragement, and compassion. In the face of adversity we will only excel as a team by keeping kindness at the forefront of everything we do.

Creativity with Transparency | Creativity, persistence, questioning, and crazy ideas to solve hard problems are essential to our work. We do all of this out in the open while being honest and forthright about the new things we’re trying, getting feedback and input from our teammates along the way. 

Teamwork with Rigor | Hold yourself and those around you to high standards and understand how your responsibilities are interconnected with others’. As much as you rely on your teammates, they’re relying on you, and only with consistent communication and rigorous teamwork will we achieve our goals together.

Speed with Focus | We move quickly, exploring new opportunities and incorporating new results to make progress rapidly. Remaining focused throughout our experimentations means making thoughtful decisions, listening to a range of perspectives, and moving forward as a unified team once we’ve committed to the path ahead.

Love the Product (not just the Science) | The science is cool but the product is even cooler. Our breakthroughs are always in the pursuit of better products. It’s by selling delicious dairy that we will bring about a successful future for New Culture and a positive impact for our customers and the planet.

New Culture is committed to promoting and creating a diverse, inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. 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. Diversity is the foundation of what we do at New Culture, enabling us to build a company that celebrates what makes each of us unique.