Manager Product Optimization Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

This role is a hybrid position, coming into the office (Encino, CA) 4x week. 

About Us

At Zevia, we're creating a world of better-for-you flavor-better for people and the planet. Our team is made up of courageous challengers and tenacious builders who are passionate about our mission. We're solutions-oriented, always improving, and we operate with a healthy thirst for risk. We believe in staying true to our convictions while continuously learning and evolving.

At our core, we are people-centric. We care deeply, lead with empathy, and operate as one team-no egos, just a shared purpose. We strive to reflect the diversity of our consumer base within our organization and foster a culture of empathy and humility.

Together, we aim to impact global health, provide affordable better-for-you products, and protect the planet by reducing plastic.

We're fighting the good fight to change the beverage industry for the better - and we're just getting started.

Summary 

The Manager, Product Development plays a key leadership role in shaping the future of Zevia's portfolio. This role will shape how new products come to life and how existing products continue to evolve - bringing together creativity, technical rigor, and cross-functional partnership to turn ideas into scalable, market-ready solutions. Operating at the intersection of innovation, science, and execution, this role helps craft the next chapter of Zevia's product development work while advancing our commitment to better-for-you beverages.

What You'll Do 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Identify white space opportunities - including emerging trends - within the beverage category and develop innovation concepts informed by consumer insights, market data, the evolving ingredient landscape, and business needs
• Lead all aspects of product development to conceptualize, design, and develop new products, translating product briefs into great tasting, scalable formulations that meet cost targets
• Apply deep experience working with steviasweetened formulations to inform formulation decisions and product optimization
• Evaluate existing flavor lineup for opportunities to enhance taste and improve costs
• Conduct benchtop trials to assess solubility, dispersion, flavor delivery, and shelf-life indicators
• Apply iterative testing and refinement to improve product performance across storage and distribution conditions
• Collaborate cross-functionally throughout the innovation process to ensure that all projects stay on strategy, on budget, and on time
• Support scale-up and commercialization processes at co-pack facilities

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science or a related scientific discipline
• 5+ years of experience in the beverage industry with product development and regulatory responsibilities
• Demonstrated experience formulating with stevia and qualification as a trained stevia taster, with the ability to evaluate sweetness, bitterness, and overall sensory impact across liquid applications
• Experience working within structured Stage Gate or NPD processes
• Working knowledge of FDA regulations and ingredient compliance
• Experience developing talent, leading teams, and managing cross-functional relationships
• Familiarity with food and beverage laboratory SOPs, safety, and GLP protocols
• Familiar with scientific principles in beverage and ingredient development, including sweetener systems
• Regulatory background and experience with current FDA standards
• Hands on experience with Operations or Mechanical processes
• Experience managing vendor partners
• Excellent communication skills and ability to distill complex data into clear and actionable narratives

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does have direct supervisory responsibility. 

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.  The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. 

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

Full-Time Exempt

Travel

This position may require ad hoc travel, per business need.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance

Must be eligible to work in the U.S.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

What We Offer

• A collaborative environment, where everyone contributes and delivers
• A place where you can grow, develop and learn
• Competitive compensation that includes a base salary, discretionary bonus and stock options. See below for range.
• A comprehensive benefits package which includes:
  • An array of medical plans
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Group Life Insurance
  • Short-term disability + Long-term disability
  • Flexible Spending Accounts: Medical, Dependent and Limited Use
  • Health Savings Account
  • Accident Insurance
  • Critical Illness Insurance
  • Hospital Indemnity Insurance
  • Legal Insurance
  • Travel Assistance
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Pet Insurance
  • 401k Plan (Traditional and Roth)
  • Vacation, Personal/Sick Days, and Holidays
  • Professional development contributions
  • And of course, all the Zevia you can drink!