About Careertakes

👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Beverage & Alcohol Manufacturing.

Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.

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Role overview

Confidential Client is a fast-growing beverage and alcohol manufacturer producing ready-to-drink cocktails, hard seltzers, wines, and spirits sold nationwide. The R&D Technician is an entry-level, hands-on role within the Research & Development team supporting formulation, stability testing, sensory sampling, and prototype development. This position is ideal for an early-career candidate who wants practical lab experience in beverage product development.

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What you’ll do

• Support formulation trials and prototype development for RTD cocktails, hard seltzers, wines, and spirits
• Assist with stability and shelf-life testing under supervision
• Prepare sensory samples, dilution series, and blends for evaluation and pilot production
• Help track technical plans, timelines, and project documentation
• Coordinate with ingredient and flavor suppliers to confirm availability for trials
• Support compliance and formula filing tasks (TTB/FDA) with senior team members
• Conduct product quality tests and accurately document experimental procedures in lab or digital notebooks
• Maintain lab space, equipment, and follow standard lab safety protocols
• Monitor industry and alcohol category trends and share findings with the team

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Minimum qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, or a related field — or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 0–2 years of lab, food/beverage production, or product development experience; internships accepted
• Basic understanding of formulation, sensory evaluation, or quality testing principles is a plus
• Comfortable using lab equipment and following established safety procedures
• Strong attention to detail and accurate record-keeping habits
• Good verbal and written communication skills; ability to work cross-functionally
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word); familiarity with lab notebook software is a plus
• Must be 21+ years old (required due to handling/testing alcoholic products)
• Ability to lift 25–35 lbs and stand for extended periods
• Must be able to commute to Sausalito, CA

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Preferred skills & attributes

• Familiarity with alcoholic beverage categories (RTDs, seltzers, wines, spirits)
• Interest in sensory methods and product optimization
• Organized, dependable, and eager to learn new lab techniques
• Ability to follow protocols while contributing practical ideas for improvements

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Compensation & logistics

• Base salary: $72,000 - $85,000 per year
• Location: Sausalito, CA — on-site role; commuting required
• Employment type: Full-time (entry-level)
• Note: Applicants should expect physical lab work and occasional lifting; standard workplace benefits will be provided by the hiring organization.

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Why join

• Hands-on exposure to beverage formulation and R&D workflows
• Work with technical staff to bring new RTD and alcoholic products from concept to pilot
• Opportunity to grow into senior lab or product development roles within a fast-moving consumer goods environment

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Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency

Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.

If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.