R&D Scientist

Everyday Dose•Austin, TX

22h•Hybrid

About The Position

Everyday Dose is redefining the daily coffee ritual with their mushroom + collagen coffee blend, designed to provide focus, calm, and energy without negative side effects. As a fast-growing functional wellness brand with a strong DTC customer base and expanding retail presence, they are building an R&D team to develop innovative functional products. This R&D Scientist role will focus on the science behind product development, emphasizing analytical rigor, sensory methodology, and ingredient functionality, with coffee formulation, sweetener systems, and flavor systems experience being a plus. The role involves understanding and addressing the sensory, solubility, and stability challenges associated with complex functional ingredient stacks in coffee systems. A food science degree is preferred but not mandatory; demonstrated bench experience and functional beverage knowledge are key.

Requirements

2–5 years of hands-on formulation and product development experience in functional food, beverage, or dietary supplement R&D, or equivalent formal training and bench experience.
Coffee formulation experience, including understanding sensory profile differences between arabica and robusta, spray-dried vs. freeze-dried instant, and formulating functional stacks around a coffee base without compromising flavor.
Working knowledge of functional ingredients in wellness beverages: mushroom extracts, adaptogens, collagen peptides, L-theanine, amino acids, and solubility-enhancing systems (lecithins, cyclodextrins, emulsifiers).
Flavor and sweetening systems experience.
Strong analytical mindset: ability to design shelf-life studies, interpret lab data, and translate sensory panel results into clear formulation decisions.
Exceptional sensory evaluation skills: ability to articulate precise issues with taste and texture.
Organized and documentation-disciplined: proficiency in maintaining formulation records, trial reports, experimental write-ups, and version tracking.
Comfortable in a fast-paced startup environment with fast timelines, shifting priorities, and a high bar for taste and function.

Nice To Haves

B.S. or M.S. in Food Science, Food Engineering, Nutrition, Chemistry, or a related field (equivalent experience is accepted).
Hands-on experience with sensory panel methodology: panel design, triangle tests, ballot construction, and data analysis.
Experience writing or reviewing regulatory-facing documentation: nutrition facts panels, ingredient declarations, and functional claim substantiation.
Experience with stability and oxidation studies, and working knowledge of accelerated shelf-life testing methodologies.

Responsibilities

Hands-on development of new functional beverage formulations from first prototype through stability-validated, production-ready formula.
Develop and iterate on coffee bases across multiple SKUs, evaluating flavor profile, solubility, mouthfeel, and ingredient compatibility.
Formulate around functional ingredient constraints with a rigorous understanding of how each interacts with a particular carrier system.
Determine functional performance and sensory properties of ingredients in finished products using established analytical and sensory evaluation tools.
Identify and execute cost optimization opportunities across formulations without compromising sensory or functional integrity.
Build and maintain version-controlled formulation records: batch sheets, trial reports, experimental write-ups, taste evaluation records, and handover documents.
Design and execute shelf-life, stability, and oxidation studies across formats and storage conditions, flagging sensory, appearance, or functional changes over time and making data-driven reformulation recommendations.
Partner with Quality Manager and external analytical lab partners to collect data on nutritional content, microbial testing, and packaging compatibility.
Prepare finished good formulas for costing, nutritional analysis, sensory review, and regulatory review ensuring accuracy of nutrition facts panels and ingredient declarations.
Organize benchtop trials, pilot plant sessions, and shelf-life testing timelines with cross-functional teams.
Design and run internal sensory panels (blind tastings, triangle tests, and paired comparisons), synthesizing feedback into actionable formulation changes.
Evaluate competitive and benchmark products systematically, identifying taste, texture, and functional gaps.
Support consumer lab testing (CLT) programs by preparing samples, documenting protocols, and interpreting sensory results.
Stay ahead of the functional ingredient landscape, emerging adaptogens, novel delivery formats, clinically-studied actives, and bring validated, evidence-backed ideas to the innovation pipeline.
Source and evaluate new ingredients: pulling COAs, reviewing third-party clinical data, confirming certifications, and assessing sensory impact in finished product.
Conduct competitive product benchmarking and ingredient research to identify formulation white space and emerging category trends.
Assist with new product ideation and concept development, contributing scientific rigor and sensory instinct to early-stage innovation.
Work collaboratively with QA, operations, and regulatory teams to ensure commercial-ready formulas are consistent from a sensory, food safety, and claims perspective.
Communicate project status, formulation decisions, and technical findings clearly to the Director of Innovation and cross-functional stakeholders.
Travel as needed to partners for innovation sessions and prototype trials.
Maintain GMP in laboratory and pilot settings, performing all activities safely and in compliance with food safety standards.