Beverage Product Developer

Actalent; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 48,000 - 55,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) retirement plan

Life insurance

Disability insurance

HSA

PTO

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Product Developer (Beverage Innovation) for a 6-month contract in Seattle, onsite. You will develop and prototype beverage concepts, prepare lab samples, conduct tastings, and ensure regulatory compliance while collaborating with R&D, quality, and commercialization teams.

The role emphasizes hands-on lab work, sensory evaluation, and documentation to drive innovation and scale formulas from bench to production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Safety, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related field
• 4+ years of product development experience within the food and beverage industry
• Experience developing or supporting beverage products
• Strong understanding of food safety and quality systems
• Hands-on laboratory experience, including sample preparation and documentation
• Experience conducting tastings, sensory evaluations, and interpreting results
• Knowledge of ingredient functionality, beverage formulation, and processing technologies
• Strong documentation, organization, and project management skills
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities
• Proven problem-solving skills and attention to detail

Responsibilities

• Develop and prototype innovative beverage concepts from ideation through testing
• Prepare lab samples and beverage formulations for evaluation
• Conduct product research and support innovation initiatives
• Ensure formulations and ingredients comply with food safety and regulatory requirements
• Host and facilitate product tastings and sensory evaluations
• Collect, document, analyze, and communicate tasting feedback and recommendations
• Support multiple product development projects simultaneously
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including R&D, quality, and commercialization partners
• Maintain accurate records for formulations, raw materials, sensory results, and standard operating procedures
• Prepare sensory ballots and assist with evaluation and reporting
• Organize and maintain laboratory supplies, ingredients, and testing materials
• Support brand maintenance and continuous improvement initiatives
• Contribute creative solutions to business and consumer challenges

Skills

Product development

Sensory science

Laboratory skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Regulatory compliance

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field

Tools

Office suite

Smartsheet

Miro

Adobe tools

Job description

Product Developer (Beverage Innovation)

Location: Seattle, WA (Onsite)

Duration: 6-Month Contract

Pay: $35-$40/hour

About the Opportunity

We're seeking an experienced Product Developer to join a fast-paced Beverage Innovation team responsible for creating and bringing new ready-to-drink beverage concepts to life. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of food science, consumer insights, and product innovation while collaborating with cross-functional partners to develop products that delight customers and shape future beverage experiences.

If you're passionate about product development, sensory science, flavor innovation, and translating ideas into commercially viable products, we'd love to hear from you.

What You'll Do

• Develop and prototype innovative beverage concepts from ideation through testing

• Prepare lab samples and beverage formulations for evaluation

• Conduct product research and support innovation initiatives

• Ensure formulations and ingredients comply with food safety and regulatory requirements

• Host and facilitate product tastings and sensory evaluations

• Collect, document, analyze, and communicate tasting feedback and recommendations

• Support multiple product development projects simultaneously

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including R&D, quality, and commercialization partners

• Maintain accurate records for formulations, raw materials, sensory results, and standard operating procedures

• Prepare sensory ballots and assist with evaluation and reporting

• Organize and maintain laboratory supplies, ingredients, and testing materials

• Support brand maintenance and continuous improvement initiatives

• Contribute creative solutions to business and consumer challenges

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Safety, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related field

• 4+ years of product development experience within the food and beverage industry

• Experience developing or supporting beverage products

• Strong understanding of food safety and quality systems

• Hands-on laboratory experience, including sample preparation and documentation

• Experience conducting tastings, sensory evaluations, and interpreting results

• Knowledge of ingredient functionality, beverage formulation, and processing technologies

• Strong documentation, organization, and project management skills

• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities

• Proven problem-solving skills and attention to detail

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ready-to-drink beverages

• Knowledge of aseptic processing, pasteurization, retort systems, or related beverage manufacturing processes

• Understanding of consumer research methods, experimental design, and statistics

• Experience scaling formulas from bench-top development to production

• Familiarity with coffee, juice, or other specialty beverage categories

• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite, Smartsheet, Miro, or Adobe tools

• Knowledge of analytical testing methods including pH, Brix, moisture, and solids analysis

Team & Environment

• Highly collaborative and interactive team environment

• Work alongside experienced product developers and innovation professionals

• Majority of time spent in the lab developing products, running tastings, documenting findings, and supporting innovation pipelines

• Opportunity to contribute to both future innovation and ongoing product optimization projects

What Success Looks Like

• Delivering high-quality product prototypes and formulations

• Effectively managing multiple projects and deadlines

• Providing accurate documentation and actionable sensory insights

• Building strong partnerships across teams

• Contributing meaningful ideas that advance innovation initiatives

Why Join?

This role offers a unique opportunity to be at the center of beverage innovation, helping bring new products from concept to reality. You'll gain hands-on experience in product development, sensory science, and commercialization while working with a team passionate about creating exceptional consumer experiences.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Seattle, WA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $35.00 - $40.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Seattle,WA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 14, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.