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About Atomo

Atomo is a cutting-edge food-tech startup confronting the climate crisis by reinventing coffee for tomorrow. Founded in 2019, with offices in the heart of Seattle, Atomo is a place for innovative, creative, committed people to come together, learn from one another and leave this planet better than we found it. We have already reverse-engineered the coffee bean—producing outstanding cold brew coffee with over 90% reduction in both water and carbon footprints—and have even bigger plans for the future. Join us to help shape the future of coffee!

Core Values

At Atomo we believe that everyone has a critical role to play in how we change the future. We believe in Empowering Innovation through continuous learning while also honoring coffee traditions. We believe in being Stewards of the Planet by leading through example in everything we do and putting the planet over profits. We believe in Building Community by fostering an environment of psychological safety and always striving for a team of “we”. And we are committed to delivering an exceptional and Premium Quality product and experience, every single time. Atomo Prioritizes Safety on a daily basis in order to promote a positive safety culture.

Job Description:

Atomo is currently seeking a passionate and experienced chemist with a deep understanding of flavor creation. As a leader within the Innovation team, you will be responsible for initiating and  driving the research projects creating beanless coffee and the new constituent pieces to expand the horizons of Atomo's possibilities.

This role combines hands-on lab work, ideation, product and technology strategy, experimental design and analysis as well as deep analysis of complex data sets. The ideal candidate is adept in all these areas and shifts seamlessly between them in a rapidly growing and evolving startup environment. This role reports directly to the Head of Innovation. 

What You’ll Do:

• Be  the intellectual driver for Atomo's transformation of upcycled materials into beanless coffee

• Maintains active knowledge in the fields of flavor and coffee chemistry, serving as a crucial resource to the team and the company

• Identify promising raw materials to upcycle, and design/validate the pathways to create bean-less coffee using a deep knowledge of food and flavor chemistry

• Dig into the analytical origins of desired and observed flavor profiles, combining chemical constituencies with sensory observations to guide further development

• Think creatively, initiating new discovery projects, assembling a cross-functional team and executing cutting edge research and development

• Contribute to the protection of Atomo's IP portfolio

• Contribute to the scaleup and deployment of your work through collaboration with Operations, Quality, Marketing and other key stakeholders

• Manage a team of Innovation Scientists both in the lab and in their professional development

• Facilitate safety and toxicology evaluations

• Any other projects as directed by the Head of Innovation

Skills and Qualifications:

• M.S. or Ph.D. in food science, food chemistry chemistry, analytical chemistry or a related field

• 3+ (Ph.D.) or 5+ (M.S.)  years experience  in the creation and evaluation of flavor compounds

• Extensive experience and fluency in the analytical characterization of aroma and taste chemistry by key techniques such as GC/LC-MS, HPLC/UPLC, etc.

• Proven track record of initiating innovation, both as an individual and as a member of a team

• Exhibits a professional attitude at all times; demonstrates a cooperative demeanor, and willingness to help others

• Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels

• Team management or leadership experience

Even better if you have:

• Deep understanding of Maillard chemistry

• Experience across the entire production cycle of coffee, from cultivation through extraction and beyond

• Familiarity with biochemistry and green chemistry

• Knowledge of worldwide IP systems, ideally with experience from preparation and filing through successful prosecution

• Formal sensory/organoleptic evaluation training

• Experience in the deployment/launch of novel ingredients, technologies or products

• Startup experience

Additional Details: 

Pay Range: $125,000 - $150,000

Benefits: Full medical, dental, vision and life insurance. Unlimited PTO, Personal + Professional Development Stipend, and equity