Sr. Beverage Developer at Vibrant Ingredients – Cranbury, New Jersey

Founded in 1954, Vibrant Ingredients is a leading provider of natural, clean label ingredients and systems that power extraordinary food and beverage experiences. The company’s broad portfolio including natural flavors, botanical extracts, functional nutrition, cold brew coffee, tea essences, and food protection solutions enhances taste, texture, color, shelf life, and performance across a wide range of applications. Vibrant operates four state-of-the-art facilities across the United States and works with leading brands, manufacturers, and foodservice operators. With vertically integrated capabilities and a proven track record of innovation and execution, Vibrant helps customers accelerate to market without compromise.

About the role:

We are a trusted partner to our customers when it comes to innovation and an industry leader in clean label ingredients, we are a true partner. We collaborate with our customers in ways that respect people and the environment. A commitment to Purely Better™ drives our innovation team to discover new, on trend solutions.

As a Senior Beverage Developer, they will support the growth of our beverage and flavor categories. This role will work directly with customers, sales teams, and internal innovation teams to develop winning beverage solutions utilizing Vibrant’s extensive portfolio of natural ingredients.

The ideal candidate is a highly technical beverage expert with strong project management skills and a passion for working with customers to bring innovative beverage concepts to life.

How will you contribute:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. Essential job functions and duties include, but are not limited to:

• Develop innovative beverage solutions utilizing flavors, flavor systems, functional ingredients, and coffee & tea extracts.
• Lead beverage development projects from concept through commercialization, including formulation, stability testing, documentation, and costing.
• Develop a wide range of beverage applications including carbonated beverages, functional drinks, ready-to-drink beverages, and coffee/tea-based beverages.
• Apply beverage processing knowledge including pasteurization, homogenization, hot-fill processing, carbonation, and canning.
• Build strong technical relationships with customers and support customer visits and ideation sessions alongside the sales team.
• Participate in innovation presentations, rapid prototyping, and new product concept development.
• Support pilot trials and production runs during product commercialization.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting timelines and technical milestones.
• Support lifecycle management initiatives focused on cost reduction and margin optimization.
• Maintain accurate laboratory documentation and follow GLP, ISO procedures, and safety standards.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemistry, or related scientific discipline.
• 10+ years of beverage development experience in the flavor, ingredient, beverage, or CPG industry.
• Demonstrated ability to develop beverages from concept through commercialization.
• Strong knowledge of beverage processing technologies and manufacturing methods.
• Excellent organizational, project management, and multitasking skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to collaborate with customers and cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and CRM tools such as Salesforce.
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

Work Environment:

• May involve exposure to allergens such as Soy, Wheat, Fish, Shellfish, Milk, Egg, Tree Nuts and Sesame.

What Vibrant Ingredients can offer you:

• Generous time off for vacations
• Paid Holidays
• 401(k) with company match
• Tuition reimbursement
• Medical/Dental/Vision
• Health & Wellness programs

Vibrant Ingredients does not provide visa sponsorship for this role. Please do not apply for this role if at any time (now or in the future) you need immigration support (i.e., H-1B, TN, STEM OPT Training Plans, etc.)

More about us:

Vibrant Ingredients, headquartered in Lake Mary, FL, is one of the world's leading independent providers of natural ingredients. With a legacy spanning over 70 years, we deliver a diverse portfolio of clean label ingredients and innovative system solutions to the food and beverage industry. Our commitment to quality and performance is reflected in our American-made products, which enhance both taste and functionality. Backed by advanced manufacturing capabilities, we specialize in fermentation, patented cold brew extraction, custom flavor development, and a range of drying and blending technologies. Operating from four state-of-the-art facilities strategically located across the U.S., we ensure the accessibility of real, high-quality ingredients—helping our customers create better-for-you food and beverage for consumers.

"Improving the food and beverages consumed by providing real ingredients from nature that work."

This position is currently classified as on-site.

Employees are eligible to participate in Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401(k), Holidays, Vacation, Tuition Reimbursement Program.

The final salary offered for this position may take into account a number of factors including, but not limited to, location, skills, education, and experience.

The Company reserves the right to modify, update, change and/or make corrections to this job description, at the sole discretion of senior management, at any time during the employee’s employment term, at the sole discretion of management.

EEO Statement

Vibrant Ingredients is an equal opportunity employer committed to employing a diverse workforce and providing accommodations for people with disabilities in all parts of the hiring process as required under its Employment Accommodation Policy. Vibrant Ingredients will work with applicants to meet accommodation needs that are made known to Vibrant Ingredients in advance.

**Please no external recruiters**