Food Development Technician (Contract / Full time)

About us

Vow is a cultured meat company on a mission to feed billions and create food that’s good for your tastebuds, your health and your planet.

We’re bringing together cutting edge innovations in science, engineering, culinary and design to  create new meats that meat lovers can choose selfishly because it’s nutritious and delicious, and we’re doing so in a sustainable way.

The role

We’re looking for an eager, hard-working technician to join our Product Development team at Vow, starting as a three-month contractor but with the potential for extension or to convert to a permanent position. Vow’s Product Development team is responsible for taking our cells and helping to transform this “ingredient” into finished products which are better (tastier, better texture, more nutritious) than what we eat today. 

This role will be hands-on in our culinary centre and is focused on helping us efficiently and thoughtfully run food “experiments” that contribute to our broader business goals around launching delicious, sustainable products. You may help with preparing prototypes that incorporate new ingredients or ways of creating texture, support with recipe development for new and existing products, and be a “jack of all trades” to help support any additional food-related activities in our culinary centre which require an extra, capable set of hands.

This opportunity is ideal for either experienced technicians or diligent individuals in the early stages of their career who are willing to dive in and learn quickly about the world of product development. Those with prior experience in kitchens or with chefs may also be well-suited. We’re on the lookout for someone who’s meticulous in their approach, excels in attention to detail, and is keen to learn and get their hands dirty day in and out to help develop amazing products for people around the world.

The experience you bring

• A genuine passion for food, which could range from learning about how food works to creating your own recipes. 
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, and to learn quickly. You aren’t afraid of asking questions.
• An ability to distinguish flavours, odours and colours (or willingness to be trained on this).
• A general understanding of food application and recipe development.
• Success in a prior role that required hands-on, day to day execution of tasks. You know what it means to bring attention to detail and focus on something day in and out.
• A bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Nutrition, Materials Science, Biochemistry or a related discipline. Not required though, especially if you have prior food tech and / or chef experience.

A ‘hacker mentality’, or a non-traditional pathway into the world of food is a big plus for us. We are looking for candidates who can work autonomously and always feel empowered to find better ways to do things.

You will

• Prepare ingredients, formulations, and equipment setups to ensure seamless preparation of food/product prototypes for you and the team
• Maintain comprehensive, timely, and accurate records of experimental methodologies and outcomes
• Plan, review and execute experiments (i.e. recipes), and interpret and share this data with your wider team. This will include understanding the impact of particular ingredients and processing techniques on the final product, and the ability to make ingredient substitutions.
• Be involved with basic experimental troubleshooting
• Assisting with work in the pilot plant and production facilities, as needed
• General culinary lab upkeep, cleaning and maintenance tasks as required
• Work closely with the larger R&D team at Vow to ensure that your research is aligned with the broader research direction and mission

You’ll never have two days that look the same. You’ll need to be patient with and enjoy working in a rapidly changing environment. 

Who we are and why join:

• We are building a diverse, mission-led dream team of “Vowzers.” Our mission is to make food products for everyone. To do that well we need a workforce that’s representative of the people we serve. We celebrate multiple approaches and points of view - so we’re building a culture to match. Be yourself and come as you are.
• Work on cutting-edge technology. We’re bringing together cutting-edge innovations in science, engineering, and food, to recreate the world’s most tantalising and unique culinary experiences. All without compromising on ethics or our planet along the way. Since our inception in 2019, we have held the title of being the first startup to cultivate meat from the cells of an undomesticated animal, been called The Spaceship of the cultured meat industry by Forbes and launched our first product under the brand Forged in some of the hottest restaurants in Singapore. 
• Work with and learn from the best. Our team includes some of the world’s top scientists, innovators, operators, and creatives with decades of industry experience. Despite our experiences though, we all strive to build, break, learn, and repeat. We see the impossible as temporary and strive to learn and support our company and fellow Vowzers' growth as much as possible.
• We’re fully funded and ready to go. We are a growing Aussie biotech start-up backed by Blackbird Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Grok Ventures, Tenacious Ventures, P7 Ventures, Toyota Ventures, and PeakBridge VC.