Sr New Product Development Scientist

About Us

Ken Grossman started Sierra Nevada in 1980 with a hand-built brewhouse and the odds stacked against him. That passion forever changed the course of American craft brewing and launched a beer revolution that's in full force today. Turns out, good beer can do a lot of good, and Sierra Nevada became a cornerstone for both its innovation and its care for the Earth and its people. We’re committed to advancing a culture of inclusion and believe diversity in all its forms makes us stronger. We keep pushing boundaries, whether that’s in the brewhouse, with sustainability, or in the great outdoors.

About the Role

The Sr New Product Development Scientist is an individual contributor who leads beverage development and commercialization projects from concept through scale up and market readiness. The role applies strong technical judgment, regulatory expertise, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver compliant, scalable products, with particular ownership of Beyond Beer and nontraditional beverage platforms. This position partners closely with R&D analytical scientists, Sensory Scientists, Innovation, QA, Regulatory, Operations, Insights and Innovation, and Supply Chain to translate product concepts into commercially viable solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead beverage development and commercialization projects, including formulation refinement, process definition, scale up support, and launch readiness.
• Serve as technical owner for Beyond Beer and nontraditional beverage initiatives, working closely with the Insights and Innovation teams to translate concepts into scalable products.
• Source and qualify raw materials and flavors in partnership with Supply Chain, ensuring availability, cost alignment, and technical suitability for commercialization.
• Own and maintain the flavor and ingredient database, ensuring accurate documentation, specifications, regulatory status, and readiness for development and scale-up.
• Support nutrition labeling, ingredient statements, and regulatory documentation in collaboration with QA, R&D, Compliance, and Innovation partners.
• Collaborate with R&D analytical staff to define testing needs, interpret results, and apply data to formulation and process decisions.
• Ensure ingredient and formulation readiness for commercialization by defining clear specifications, use parameters, and process requirements prior to pilot and production trials.
• Apply working knowledge of TTB and FDA regulations to ensure formulations, processes, and documentation meet regulatory requirements.
• Communicate technical risks, tradeoffs, and recommendations clearly to cross-functional stakeholders while supporting GMP compliance and development readiness.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or Master’s degree in a scientific discipline (Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Brewing/Fermentation Science, Microbiology, Biology, or related field). Required
• 7 years of product development experience commercializing beverage products, including scale up, launch preparation, and post-launch technical support. Required
• Strong practical knowledge of TTB and FDA beverage regulations, including familiarity with nutrition labeling requirements and regulatory documentation.
• Experience defining product and process specifications to support manufacturing consistency and quality.
• Experience using Genesis R&D, ESHA, or comparable formulation, ingredient, and nutrition labeling software.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional projects involving R&D, QA, Regulatory, Operations, and Supply Chain.
• Working understanding of analytical testing approaches and ability to collaborate effectively with laboratory-focused R&D staff.
• Project management capabilities, including scope definition, timeline management, risk identification, and stakeholder coordination.

Additional Requirements

• You must be at least 21 years of age to work for Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
• Selected candidate must pass a pre-employment, post-offer background check.
• Position is based out of our Chico, CA brewery.

Benefits

• 10% company match on 401(k) contributions
• Learning and development opportunities
• Ongoing safety trainings, state-of-the-art equipment, and preventative care
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Onsite medical clinic
• Mental health and well-being benefits, including paid sick leave
• Paid time off and encouragement to use it

Pay

$105,299 to $162,687 base compensation for this role. Individual offers are based on skills, experience, and qualifications. This role may be eligible for our bonus program.