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Associate Director of Formulations

Lexington, KY

At Curaleaf, we’re redefining the cannabis industry with a strong commitment to quality, expertise, and innovation. As a leading global cannabis provider, our brands—including Curaleaf, Select, and Grassroots—offer premium products and services in both medical and adult-use markets.

Join us at Curaleaf to be part of a high-growth, purpose-driven company that champions corporate social responsibility through our Rooted in Good initiative, supporting community outreach and positive change. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, drive innovation, and help shape the future of cannabis.

Job Title: Associate Director of Formulations
Location: Lexington, KY, on-site

About the Role:

The Associate Director of Formulation plays a key leadership role in innovating, developing, and commercializing cutting-edge cannabis-infused edible and beverage products. In this role, you will translate strategic business objectives into actionable formulation plans, manage cross-functional teams, and ensure products meet the highest quality standards, compliance, and consumer appeal. As a technical expert, you'll be instrumental in shaping Curaleaf’s product pipeline while driving scientific and operational excellence in a dynamic, fast-paced industry.

What You’ll Do:

  • Lead end-to-end development of edible and beverage products from concept to commercialization.
  • Translate business goals into formulation strategies, setting clear timelines and deliverables.
  • Manage product testing for sensory, stability, scale-up, and appearance.
  • Oversee external lab testing and ensure compliance with GMP, food safety, and cannabis regulations.
  • Lead R&D trials, pilot runs, and shelf-life testing.
  • Maintain detailed formulation documentation, including SOPs, batch records, and specifications.
  • Support executive leadership in prioritizing product pipelines and aligning strategy.
  • Collaborate with Manufacturing, QA, Sales, and Marketing teams as a technical authority.
  • Stay ahead of market trends, technologies, and competitive activity.
  • Travel up to 50 - 60% to support operations, team management, and product launches.

What You’ll Bring:

  • Master’s degree in Food Chemistry, Food Science, or related field with 4+ years of experience, or Bachelor’s degree with 7+ years.
  • Proven leadership of cross-functional and remote technical teams.
  • Strong knowledge of ingredient functionality, emulsions, and solubility systems.
  • Hands-on experience in beverage formulation and confectionery processes.
  • Proficiency in product quality evaluations, shelf-life studies, and sensory testing.
  • Proficient with laboratory techniques, including viscometry, particle size analysis, colorimetry, and texture analysis.
  • Deep understanding of GMP, food safety, and cannabis regulations.
  • Strong scientific documentation and analytical skills.
  • Effective communicator with experience preparing technical reports and presentations.
  • Experience managing formulation scientists and technical projects.

Even Better If You Have:

  • Expertise in solubility enhancement and bioavailability optimization.
  • Familiarity with MRP/ERP systems for ingredient tracking and management.
  • Experience developing intellectual property in food or beverage innovation.
  • Knowledge of data science tools in formulation and product development.
  • Background in cannabis or regulated consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk or hear, use hands to finger or feel, reach with hands and arms, and lift up to 25 lbs.The employee is occasionally required to climb and balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and lift up to 50 lbs. This position requires close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

This position has allergen warnings, potential exposure to dust, pollen, and plant pathogens, requires exposure to cleaning solvents, such as high volumes of isopropyl alcohol, requires daily use of provided PPE, such as masks, hair nets, beard covers, respirators, boot covers, scrubs, non-slip shoes, and Tyvek suits as necessary, requires the ability to work in confined spaces, has exposure to loud noises, including but not limited to air compressors, packaging equipment, and alarms, has exposure to CO2 manufacturing procedures at OSHA approved CO2 levels and requires a high stress tolerance, adaptability, and flexibility. Ability to work in an ever-changing environment.

What We Offer:

  • Career Growth Opportunities
  • Competitive Pay and Benefits (Health, Dental Vision)
  • Generous PTO and Parental Leave
  • 401(K) Retirement Plan
  • Life/AD&D Insurance, Short & Long-Term Disability
  • Community Involvement Initiatives
  • Employee Referral Bonuses and Product Discounts

Not all benefits listed above are available to all employees at all locations.  

Curaleaf Awards and Achievements:

  • 2023 Ragan’s Top Places to Work
  • 2022 TIME100 Most Influential Companies
  • 2020 Cannabis Doing Good’s Good Neighbor Award
  • 2020 Minorities for Medical Marijuana’s Diversity & Inclusion Award

Follow us on Social Media: 
Instagram: @curaleaf.usa
Twitter: @Curaleaf_Inc
LinkedIn: Curaleaf LinkedIn

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (TSX: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf") is a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis with a mission to enhance lives by cultivating, sharing, and celebrating the power of the plant. As a high-growth cannabis company known for quality, expertise and reliability, the Company, and its brands, including Curaleaf, Select, Grassroots, JAMS, Find and Zero Proof provide industry-leading service, product selection and accessibility across the medical and adult-use markets. Curaleaf International is the largest vertically integrated cannabis company in Europe with a unique supply and distribution network throughout the European market, bringing together pioneering science and research with cutting-edge cultivation, extraction, and production. Home | Curaleaf | Cannabis with Confidence

Our corporate Social Responsibility is Rooted in Good. We believe in taking corporate and social responsibility very seriously, from our educational outreach to national partnerships, state-wide initiatives, and local causes. Giving back to the communities where we operate is important to us and helps to change old attitudes by showing the positive impact of cannabis in creating jobs, changing lives, and helping local communities. 

Our Vision: To be the world's leading cannabis company by consistently delivering superior products and services and driving the global acceptance of cannabis. 

Our Values:

  • Lead and Inspire.  
  • Commit to Win.  
  • ONE Curaleaf.  
  • Driven to Deliver Excellence.  

Curaleaf is an equal opportunity employer. Curaleaf recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Individuals adversely impacted by the war on drugs are encouraged to apply.

Current Curaleaf employees should use our internal job board to apply for current openings: https://app2.greenhouse.io/internal_job_board 

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