Product Development Lab Specialist

Kinder's; Walnut Creek (CA); On-site; USD 10,500 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k

Bonus eligibility

Equity grants

Health benefits

Parental leave

Job summary

Kinder’s is seeking a Lab Operations Specialist to support Product Development and R&D by managing lab tasks and ensuring day-to-day operations run smoothly.

You’ll install, calibrate, and maintain equipment, manage inventory, organize lab space, and support cross-functional teams with data and documentation to help bring products to market. The role requires strong organizational skills, proactive problem solving, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a science related discipline or minimum 1 year of experience in operations or lab work in a related field.
• Excellent organizational, time management, analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to prioritize, be proactive, multitask, and work with cross-functional teams in a dynamic setting.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite. Experience in Trace Gains and Wrike is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Manage installation, validation, calibration, and maintenance of laboratory equipment.
• Maintain lab consumables inventory, order tracking, and vendor relationships
• Oversee lab organization, lab cleanliness, onboarding of new staff, and required training
• Assist maintaining and organizing raw material procurement, inventory, labeling, and documentation
• Coordinate with the team to prepare and distribute sales and finished product samples
• Assist team with performing, reporting, and analyzing analytical measurements
• Maintain lab Standard Operating Procedures
• Support operations such as presentation setup, facility coordination, and events
• Act as back up for other teammates and perform other departmental duties as assigned to support overall success.

Skills

Organizational skills

Time management

Analytical

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Independence

Cross-functional teams

Microsoft Office

Trace Gains

Wrike

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a science related discipline

Tools

Wrike

Trace Gains

Job description

BUILT ON FLAVOR. FUELED BY PEOPLE.

What’s it like to work at Kinder’s? Well, there’s a lot of snacking and geeking out over what we all cooked over the weekend. Beyond that, there’s also plenty of hard work. Because we don’t just like flavor, we’re obsessed with it.

With over 100 products sold nationwide, we’re now a top-five brand in multiple flavor categories at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, and more. We’re not your typical CPG company. Privately held and founder-led, we like to think of ourselves as a pirate ship in a sea of cruise ships. Our crew is adventurous and fearless. We chart our own course and chase big ideas to make food unforgettable.

As we expand globally and approach $1 billion in revenue, we need more smart-and-scrappy, flavor-obsessed people to come aboard. If you’re looking for a place where you can see the real impact of your work... this is it!Every day, you’ll be part of a journey to add flavor to millions of meals and lives.

Position Overview:

You will play a key role supporting Kinder’s by managing the lab’s various tasks and performing tasks that support cross-functional teams. This is a critical position and will be relied upon by many of Kinder’s teammates throughout the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

We are looking for a highly organized Lab Operations Specialist who will facilitate laboratory operations and ensure smooth day-to-day functioning of our Product Development and Research and Development teams, which this role will directly support.

• Manage installation, validation, calibration, and maintenance of laboratory equipment.
• Maintain lab consumables inventory, order tracking, and vendor relationships
• Oversee lab organization, lab cleanliness, onboarding of new staff, and required training
• Assist maintaining and organizing raw material procurement, inventory, labeling, and documentation
• Coordinate with the team to prepare and distribute sales and finished product samples
• Assist team with performing, reporting, and analyzing analytical measurements
• Maintain lab Standard Operating Procedures
• Support operations such as presentation setup, facility coordination, and events
• Act as back up for other teammates and perform other departmental duties as assigned to support overall success.

What Success Will Look Like:

If you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and have strong organizational skills and a knack for multi-tasking, this could be a great fit for you!

Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in a science related discipline or minimum 1 year of experience in operations or lab work in a related field
• Excellent organizational, time management, analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to prioritize, be proactive, multitask, and work with cross-functional teams in a dynamic setting
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite. Experience in Trace Gains and Wrike is a plus.

Personal Characteristics:

• An ambitious individual that wants to grow their skillset at one of the premier, growing food companies
• Self-starter that requires minimal oversight with an ability to problem solve and manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Strong organizational skills with excellent attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects and tasks
• Comfortable speaking up and contributing within complex or high-energy team settings
• Effective communication and teamwork skills are critical
• Adaptable to changing priorities and a high tempo, dynamic environment
• Strong interpersonal skills and a great attitude to support a high growth company

The expected starting salary range for this role is $10,500- $115,000 per year. The salary range posted for this role reflects the good-faith base pay range Kinder’s reasonably expects to offer at the time of posting and may vary based on the location of the role. Individual compensation within the posted range will be determined based on factors such as relevant education, experience, qualifications, skills, and business needs.

SEASONED FOR SUCCESS:

• No two days here are the same.
• We try to be good team members and good communicators, but we don’t live by hierarchy and structure - everyone is a difference maker here.
• We make a lot of decisions in the face of incomplete information - our team embraces ambiguity and tries to make good decisions fast rather than great decisions slow.
• We believe our job is to take smart risk, not to eliminate risk.
• We believe in growing our skills and becoming a better company with more managerial expertise, but we are an entrepreneurial company at heart.
• We aren’t trying to be average – we want to do exceptional things, and we are willing to work hard to achieve them.

BENEFITS THAT BRING MORE TO THE TABLE:

We offer a range of total rewards that may include paid time off, 401k, bonus / incentive eligibility, equity grants, competitive health benefits, and other family-friendly benefits, including parental leave. Kinder’s benefits vary based on eligibility and can be reviewed in more detail during the interview process.

OUR RECIPE FOR BALANCE:

We believe great culture starts with people. We’re a people-first company built on connection, collaboration, and balance. Most of our work happens in the office to spark creativity and community, but we also offer flexibility so team members have the autonomy to work outside the office when needed to support their work-life balance and personal commitments.

WHERE EVERY INGREDIENT MATTERS:

Kinder's is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, citizenship, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, veteran status, as well as any other legally-protected characteristic. If you have a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law, and you need any accommodation during the application process or to perform these job requirements, please reach out to us at [e-mail]