Research and Product Development Specialist

Aroma Joe's is one of the nation's leading handcrafted beverage chains and is headquartered in South Portland, Maine. This rapidly growing brand currently has 121 locations along the East Coast. Aroma Joe's is a local destination for hand-crafted coffee and espresso drinks, unique infused blends, signature AJ's RUSH Energy Drinks, and a variety of all-day food offerings. Aroma Joe's serves positive energy in a friendly and upbeat environment by focusing daily on the customer, the community, and the cup.

The same passion and upbeat attitude can be found at our corporate offices. The Aroma Joe's family is a group of hardworking and experienced professionals who are driven by the excitement of building our brand. Our team enjoys comprehensive employee benefits, company-sponsored social outings, and an amazing culture! Giving back to the community is a key part of who we are. We participate in community and charitable events throughout the year with a focus on positively impacting people.

Overview

The Research and Product Development Specialist will be a key member of the R&D team, providing project assistance and support to deliver project timelines. The R&D team takes consumer-validated concepts and works with suppliers to produce, scale, spec, and QA new or existing SKUs. This team also works with Marketing and Ops to coordinate samples for POP or training materials, nutritional information, review KPIs and sales data, pace the project, and other duties building up to the launch date.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the Product Development Process:
  • Prepares samples for bench development, cooking or preparation instruction, nutritional analysis, lab testing, data validation and product cuttings.
  • Coordinates supplier sample requests, receiving and shipment of samples.
• Stress test potential products and equipment in R&D lab.
• • Organizes product cuttings for sample presentation or sensory evaluation with internal cross-functional team members.
  • Assists in the planning and execution of Consumer Learning Tests (CLT).
  • Assists in the collection, and review of product specifications.
  • Assists in the support of product-related questions, inquiries, or issues.

• Complete quality assurance and quality control duties as necessary.
• Update project dashboards, project folders, notes, and sample logs as needed.
• Supports cross-functional teams as needed.

• R&D Lab Maintenance:
  • Maintain lab cleanliness by completing weekly and monthly cleaning checklists
  • Inventory control including ordering, reconciling, receiving, and shipping ingredients and materials
  • Coordinate equipment maintenance
  • Maintains cleanliness - completes weekly and monthly cleaning checklists
• General Administration:
  • Travel occasionally as necessary to other locations and/or tradeshows.
• Complete other projects as needed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to multi-task and prioritize in fast paced and high stress environment
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Highly motivated and self-directed
• Strong customer service orientation
• Creative and able to think outside the box
• Detail oriented

Qualifications and Experience:

• High School Diploma with 1-2 years of food industry experience
  • Food Science, Chemistry or Biochemistry experience or degree preferred
  • Experience in the QSR and LSR industry preferred
• SERV Safe Certification
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Forms