Senior Flavor Scientist

About Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Founded in 1980 by Ken Grossman with a hand-built brewhouse, Sierra Nevada has been a pioneer in American craft brewing, combining innovation with a commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. The company embraces diversity and inclusion as key strengths and continuously strives to push boundaries across brewing, sustainability, and outdoor engagement.

Role Overview

The Senior Flavor Scientist plays a key individual contributor role leading beverage development and commercialization projects from ideation to market launch. This role requires technical expertise, regulatory knowledge, and coordination across multiple teams to deliver compliant, scalable products, with a focus on Beyond Beer and alternative beverage platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead formulation refinement, process development, scale-up efforts, and readiness for launch of beverage products.
• Take technical ownership of Beyond Beer/nontraditional beverage projects, translating concepts into commercially viable items in partnership with Insights and Innovation teams.
• Source, evaluate, and qualify raw materials and flavors, collaborating with Supply Chain to meet quality, availability, and cost targets.
• Manage and update the flavor and ingredient database, ensuring accurate documentation, specifications, regulatory compliance, and readiness for development and scale-up.
• Support nutrition labeling, ingredient declarations, and regulatory paperwork by working closely with QA, R&D, Compliance, and Innovation.
• Partner with R&D analytical scientists to determine testing requirements, interpret data, and incorporate findings into formulations and processes.
• Define clear ingredient and formulation specifications and process parameters to ensure consistent quality before pilot and production trials.
• Utilize knowledge of TTB and FDA beverage regulations to ensure all formulations, procedures, and documentation are compliant.
• Effectively communicate technical risks, trade-offs, and recommendations to cross-functional teams while ensuring GMP compliance and development readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Brewing/Fermentation Science, Microbiology, Biology, or a related scientific field.
• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in commercial beverage product development including scale up, preparation for launch, and post-launch technical support.
• Strong hands-on experience with TTB and FDA beverage regulations, including nutrition labeling and regulatory submissions.
• Proficiency in defining product and process specifications to ensure manufacturing quality and consistency.
• Experience with formulation and nutrition labeling software such as Genesis R&D or ESHA.
• Proven success managing cross-functional projects with R&D, QA, Regulatory, Operations, and Supply Chain departments.
• Sound knowledge of analytical testing methodologies and collaboration with laboratory R&D teams.
• Project management skills including scoping, timeline tracking, risk assessment, and coordinating stakeholders.

Compensation & Benefits

The base salary range for this position is $105,299 to $162,687, influenced by skills and experience. Eligibility for a bonus program is available. Sierra Nevada offers a robust benefits package including a 10% company match on 401(k) contributions, medical, dental and vision insurance, access to an onsite medical clinic, mental health resources, paid sick leave, comprehensive safety training, and generous paid time off to promote work-life balance.

Additional Information

• Applicants must successfully pass a pre-employment post-offer background check.
• This position remains open until filled; applications are reviewed weekly.
• Please review the full job description for physical demands and working environment details prior to applying.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace.