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Olipop

R&D Manager, Brand Maintenance & Productivity

Burlingame, California Full Time

ABOUT OLIPOP

At OLIPOP, we’re on a mission to positively impact consumer health at scale. And we’re doing it through something simple: soda. But not just any soda, a new kind of soda: one that’s delicious, refreshing, and actually good for you.

This mission is deeply personal for our CEO, Co-Founder, and Formulator, Ben Goodwin. Like many of us, Ben grew up consuming the Standard American Diet: lots of soda and processed foods that prioritized convenience over nutrition. But at 14, he took his health into his own hands. After making significant changes to his nutrition and exercise, he lost 50 pounds and saw a transformation in his energy, mood, and emotional clarity.

Those changes sparked a deep curiosity about the connection between nutrition and health. Ben became a relentless student of the gut microbiome and the ways it supports overall wellness. The more he discovered, the more passionate he became about finding credible, science-backed ways to make consumer health accessible to everyone.

The mission was clear. The vehicle? Less so. After exploring the possibilities, Ben landed on an unexpected yet familiar choice: soda. It was something he loved as a kid, and he knew millions shared that same nostalgia. But this wouldn’t be just any soda. With most Americans falling short on daily fiber, Ben set out to create a version with more fiber and less sugar, one that was perfectly balanced. The result? A deliciously refreshing soda with 6 to 9 grams of fiber and 2 to 5 grams of sugar, delivering science-backed benefits without sacrificing the classic taste people crave.

In 2018, the first OLIPOP cans hit the shelves, bringing Ben’s vision to life with a functional soda that anyone could enjoy. And by reimagining soda, we’re also reshaping culture. That means creating products that support health for all and building a business grounded in humanistic values: empathy, integrity, and a belief in better for everyone. From the ingredients we source to the culture we foster, we’re committed to proving that business (and beverage!) can be a force for good, and that soda has the power to bring people together.

So join us, and let’s write a new American soda story together. One we can all feel good about. One OLIPOP at a time.




THE ROLE 

The R&D Manager, Brand Maintenance & Productivity is responsible for maintaining the integrity, quality, and efficiency of the existing beverage portfolio. This role leads formula stewardship, cost optimization initiatives, and technical execution of brand maintenance projects. The position is a hands-on technical leadership role that manages a team of R&D Scientists or Technicians while actively contributing to formulation, experimentation, and plant trial execution. This role works cross-functionally with Procurement, Quality, Regulatory, and Supply Chain teams to ensure the portfolio remains consistent, scalable, and optimized for both sensory performance and operational efficiency. 

RESPONSIBILITIES  

Brand Maintenance & Formula Stewardship 

  • In collaboration with Quality and Regulatory departments, own technical stewardship of the existing beverage portfolio, ensuring formulas remain consistent, compliant, and scalable across manufacturing locations. 
  • Manage formula and specification updates related to ingredient changes, supplier transitions, regulatory updates, process improvements, and ongoing specification refinement based on production learnings ensuring all changes are clearly communicated, reviewed, and aligned with manufacturing partners for accuracy and execution readiness. 
  • Evaluate and mitigate potential risks to product quality, sensory, or manufacturability when changes are introduced. 

 
Productivity, Cost Optimization & Supply Continuity 

  • Identify and lead cost savings initiatives across the portfolio, including ingredient optimization, supplier qualifications, and specification improvements. 
  • Partner with Procurement to validate alternative suppliers and ingredients. 
  • Own ingredient and formula specification R&D technical approvals. 
  • Conduct technical assessments to ensure cost improvements do not negatively impact sensory quality, product stability, or processability. 
  • Develop technical justification, validation plans, and implementation strategies for productivity initiatives. 
     

Sensory Validation & Technical Problem Solving 

  • Design and execute sensory evaluation protocols to validate formula, ingredient, and process changes across the existing portfolio.  
  • In collaboration with Quality, investigate product performance issues including sensory deviations, shelf-life concerns, and process variability. Design and execute experiments to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.  
  • Interpret sensory, analytical, and process data to inform technical decisions and risk assessments.  
  • Document findings, conclusions, and recommendations to support cross-functional decision-making and leadership updates. 
     

Commercialization & Manufacturing Support 

  • Lead plant trials related to brand maintenance, formula renovations, and productivity projects. Develop protocols, success criteria, and post-trial reporting documentation with clear technical recommendations. 
  • Translate bench-scale formulations into scalable manufacturing processes and support troubleshooting during scale-up. 
  • Serve as key R&D technical contact for manufacturing plants during process, formula, or specification updates. 

 

Team Leadership  

  • Directly manage a team of R&D Scientists, providing guidance on experimental design, data interpretation, and project prioritization. 
  • Balance hands-on technical contribution with effective delegation to ensure efficient project execution. 
  • Support technical skill development in areas such as formulation, commercialization, sensory evaluation, and manufacturing support. 
     

QUALIFICATIONS: 

 

  • 6–8+ years of product development in the food and beverage industry. Experience with carbonated beverages strongly preferred. 
  • 0-2 years of experience managing and developing technical team members. 
  • Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or a related field.