Sr. Scientist (Innovation & Core Expansion)

About Liquid I.V.

This job description indicates in general the nature and levels of work, knowledge, skills, abilities and other essential functions expected of the role. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under his/her supervision. Ability to competently perform all the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, demonstrated commitment to the company’s mission, and the ability to work productively as a member of a team or work group are basic requirements of all positions at Liquid I.V.

We are committed to building an inclusive culture of belonging that not only embraces the diversity of our people but also reflects the diversity of the communities in which we work and the customers we serve. We know that the happiest and highest performing teams include people with diverse perspectives that encourage new ways of solving problems, so we strive to attract and develop talent from all backgrounds and create workplaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

Liquid I.V. is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

About our Team:

We are a world-class team of innovators and passionate change-makers, looking to develop transformative hydration solutions and make a meaningful impact on the world around us.  

At Liquid I.V., we are committed to building an inclusive culture of belonging that not only embraces the diversity of our people but also reflects the diversity of the communities in which we work and the customers we serve.    

Our team members enjoy a flexible and inclusive working environment, a highly collaborative and innovation-forward culture, generous benefits and perks that empower employees to champion their wellbeing every day, as well as an infinite supply of Liquid I.V. for extraordinary hydration. 

About the role:

Liquid I.V. is looking for a highly motivated, innovative, out-of-the-box thinker to join R&D team as a Senior Scientist. Reporting to the R&D Sr. Manager, Product Development, this role will support both innovation and core expansion teams. The R&D Senior Scientist will be an integral member of the LIV R&D team and will have cross-functional collaboration within all levels of the business. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in new product development, with a focus on powdered food development as a plus. Experience with innovation process, hands-on formulation, productivity, resilience projects, and lab management is highly desirable. 

Functions and duties of this role include, but not limited to:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to independently lead product development projects within innovation and core expansion teams through the full product development lifecycle, including concept ideation with Marketing, prototype development, specification creation, scale-up support, and post-launch/in-market support to ensure successful commercialization. 

• Support innovation initiatives by engaging external partners, including suppliers, third-party organizations, and internal teams, to facilitate innovation sessions and identify emerging opportunities to drive continuous growth of LIV portfolio. 

• Lead the creative development of new flavors as part of innovation projects and core portfolio expansion while ensuring stable and quality formulations. 

• Deliver "product superiority" measures with innovation, fuel for growth and resilience projects. 

• Partner with technical commercialization function to ensure successful transfer and execution of product formulations and specifications at various manufacturing sites. 

• Plan and execute stability studies for new and existing formulations. Analyze data to make recommendations for product and process updates. 

• Lead technical evaluation and qualification of alternate raw material suppliers to reduce cost and mitigate business risk. 

• Provide technical support to manufacturing sites to troubleshoot formulation and quality issues to minimize downtime and product loss. 

• Support implementation of step changes in PD capabilities as outlined in function growth strategies. 

• Collaborate with cross-functional team to identify and execute continuous improvement initiatives across core portfolio to improve efficiencies. 

• Work closely with marketing, insights, and sensory teams on consumer focus groups to understand product landscape and consumer needs to be addressed.  

• Ensure the final product meets efficacy, cost, sensory, and aesthetic requirements in accordance with the brand's strategy and goals. 
• Travel as necessary to represent team at industry conferences, tradeshows, formula development, pilot and/or production runs, work onsite at CM R&D facilities as needed to meet project approval milestones. 

Qualifications:

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:  

• Preferred educational requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree in food science with experience in Food Engineering or 

• Bachelor’s degree in food engineering with experience in R&D or 

• Bachelors in other Engineering Fields with significant food/R&D experience. 

• Minimum of 3-5 years of relevant work experience.  

• Excellent planning, organizational, and project management skills. 

• Strong working knowledge of food science, dietary supplements, health and nutrition, food manufacturing processes, quality assurance principles, ingredient supply market, and market research practices, and product commercialization. 

• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to define problems, collect and interpret data, draw valid conclusions, and propose solutions. 

• Highly innovative and creative. 

• Excellent written and oral technical communication skills. 

• Strong organizational and teamwork skills, ability to multi-task. 

• Ability to work in a fast-paced setting under tight deadlines. 
• Knowledgeable in Microsoft Office 

What We Give:

• 100% company-paid medical, dental and vision insurance for employees (PPO, HMO and Kaiser options).
• A 401k plan with company match, short and long-term disability coverage. 
• A generous PTO and sick policy that includes 13+ paid annual holidays. 
• Wellness classes (fitness, mental health, nutrition, finance, etc.). 
• An Employee Assistance Program, including membership for guided meditation for all employees. 
• Monthly tech and wellness reimbursement. 
• An infinite supply of Liquid I.V. for endless hydration!  

Work Environment:

• This role is HYBRID office environment (El Segundo, CA) with flexibility to travel up to 20% of the time.  

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

The compensation band for this position is $103,000-$154,700 annually. The exact salary is determined by various factors including experience, skills, education, geographic location, internal company equity, and budget. The listed range is applicable only to the annual base salary and does not include additional perks, benefits, or applicable bonus eligibility comprising the total compensation package.

This job description indicates in general the nature and levels of work, knowledge, skills, abilities and other essential functions expected of the role. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under his/her supervision. Ability to competently perform all the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, demonstrated commitment to the company’s mission, and the ability to work productively as a member of a team or work group are basic requirements of all positions at Liquid I.V.

We are committed to building an inclusive culture of belonging that not only embraces the diversity of our people but also reflects the diversity of the communities in which we work and the customers we serve. We know that the happiest and highest performing teams include people with diverse perspectives that encourage new ways of solving problems, so we strive to attract and develop talent from all backgrounds and create workplaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

Liquid I.V. is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

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