manager, Roasted Coffee Quality

Starbucks • Seattle, WA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

As Roasted Coffee Quality Manager, you will lead and develop a high-performing team of coffee quality professionals while setting the strategic direction for roasted coffee quality systems across development, roasting, packaging, and scale up. This role blends leadership, deep technical and sensory expertise, and business acumen, partnering cross-functionally and globally to provide quality oversight for the Pilot Plant, protect flavor integrity, enable innovation, and ensure Starbucks consistently delivers safe, premium, high-quality coffee while nurturing a strong quality culture.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in food science, quality, operations, manufacturing, engineering, or other applicable fields (ideally with food and beverage experience).
• 8+ years of experience in food, beverage, or manufacturing quality environments, including 5–10 years of applicable coffee industry experience.
• 5+ years of people leadership experience, including coaching, performance management, and talent development.
• Knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, PCQI, and GFSI (BRC, SQF, FSSC).
• Experience with SPC, DOE, root-cause analysis, and other scientific methods.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and cross-functional influencing skills.
• Highly skilled in MS Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Familiarity with ERP systems and data visualization tools; advanced skills in Tableau and Power BI.
• Passion for coffee quality and sensory science.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred PCQI certification.
• Preferred Q Grader.

Responsibilities

• Set vision and strategy for roasted coffee quality
• Establish a clear quality vision, strategic objectives, and performance targets aligned to Starbucks priorities.
• Lead large-scale roasted coffee quality initiatives across development, Pilot Plant, and manufacturing environments.
• Drive a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
• Set priorities, allocate resources, and balance quality, speed, and scalability.
• Drive coffee quality systems and process
• Govern roasted coffee quality systems including evaluation, process control, analytical testing, and finished goods specifications.
• Apply scientific and statistical methods (SPC, DOE, root cause analysis) to reduce variation.
• Translate coffee data into actionable, plant-ready standards.
• Troubleshoot broad-scale quality issues using structured problem-solving.
• Lead product safety and quality programs
• Develop and monitor product safety and quality programs.
• Support HACCP/PCQI and GFSI certification readiness (BRC, SQF, FSSC).
• Stay current on food safety and quality trends.
• Monitor roasted-coffee quality trends and drive consistency improvements.
• Provide quality leadership for Pilot Plant and innovation
• Define and validate quality and safety requirements for Pilot Plant trials.
• Conduct sensory evaluations using Starbucks cupping protocols.
• Partner cross-functionally to embed validated controls.
• Communicate complex technical information clearly to stakeholders.

Benefits

• medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and other voluntary insurance benefits.
• short-term and long-term disability
• paid parental leave
• family expansion reimbursement
• paid vacation from date of hire
• sick time (accrued at 1 hour for every 25 hours worked)
• eight paid holidays
• two personal days per year.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• discounted company stock program (S.I.P.)
• Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock)
• incentivized emergency savings
• financial well-being tools.
• 100%25 upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan
• student loan management resources
• access to other educational opportunities.
• backup care
• DACA reimbursement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager