Lead Food Scientist - Nutritional Powder Formulation

Job Description

Company Description \n

Alchemy Elevation is an emerging nutrition and wellness brand dedicated to developing innovative, high quality nutritional solutions that bridge athletic performance and everyday wellness.

Our initial focus is on plant based nutritional powders, emphasizing thoughtful ingredient selection, functional ingredient science, and finished product quality. We are seeking an experienced technical partner who can translate an original product concept into a practical, consumer ready formulation.

Alchemy Elevation is seeking an experienced, hands on Lead Food Scientist or Formulation Specialist to lead the development of a custom, calorie dense, plant based nutritional powder.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in nutritional powder formulation, particularly high protein and calorie dense products, with demonstrated expertise in functional ingredient science. Experience developing plant based formulations is strongly preferred. The candidate should be a hands on scientist skilled in addressing complex formulation challenges through structured experimentation and iterative development, with an emphasis on flavor, texture, mixability, nutritional performance, and manufacturing reproducibility.

The selected scientist will serve as the primary technical lead, assuming full responsibility for technical feasibility, original formulation development, hands on prototyping, testing, optimization, and preparation of a comprehensive manufacturing-transfer package. The scientist will oversee and integrate all technical development activities while collaborating with external specialists, ingredient suppliers, laboratories, and manufacturing partners as needed to achieve a commercially viable, scalable, and manufacturing ready formulation.

This is a remote, independent contract opportunity requiring access to suitable laboratory facilities and the ability to produce and ship physical prototypes.

\n
• Lead original formulation development, from initial technical feasibility assessment through physical prototyping, testing, and optimization.
\n
• Develop high protein, calorie dense nutritional powder formulations with an emphasis on ingredient functionality, sensory quality, nutritional performance, and manufacturability.
\n
• Evaluate interactions among proteins, carbohydrate systems, powdered fats, emulsifiers, and other functional ingredients.
\n
• Identify, source, and assess suitable commercially available ingredients from qualified suppliers.
\n
• Personally conduct or directly coordinate hands on laboratory experiments, formulation trials, and physical prototype development.
\n
• Evaluate mixability, dispersion, viscosity, mouthfeel, stability, and other relevant physical performance characteristics.
\n
• Troubleshoot technical formulation challenges through structured experimentation and iterative optimization.
\n
• Collaborate with specialized technical experts when necessary while maintaining responsibility for overall formulation integration.
\n
• Maintain detailed formulation records, ingredient specifications, testing results, and development documentation.
\n
• Develop formulations with commercial scalability in mind, including appropriate technical specifications and processing considerations.
\n
• Collaborate with manufacturing specialists or contract manufacturers as needed to support future production.
\n

Required Qualifications

\n
• Significant hands on experience developing commercial nutritional powders, protein powders, or dry functional beverage formulations.
\n
• Strong understanding of functional ingredient science, including ingredient interactions, formulation performance, and technical troubleshooting.
\n
• Demonstrated ability to develop, test, optimize, and refine formulations through physical laboratory prototypes.
\n
• Ability to personally conduct or directly coordinate hands on formulation development and deliver physical prototypes for evaluation.
\n
• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, or a related scientific discipline, or equivalent demonstrated industry expertise.
\n
• Ability to work independently, manage technical development milestones, document results, and communicate findings effectively.
\n
• Willingness to collaborate with external technical specialists when additional expertise is required.
\n

Strongly Preferred Qualifications

\n
• Experience developing plant based, high protein, and calorie dense nutritional products.
\n
• Experience with clean label, dairy free, gluten free formulations.
\n
• Knowledge of functional ingredient systems involving plant proteins, carbohydrates, powdered fats, and emulsifiers.
\n
• Familiarity with commercially available powdered fats, including spray dried or encapsulated oil ingredients.
\n
• Experience sourcing ingredients and evaluating product stability, sensory performance, and commercial feasibility.
\n
• Experience with manufacturing scale up, process optimization, or technology transfer.
\n
• Knowledge of applicable U.S. food or dietary supplement regulatory requirements, including labeling and nutritional claims.
\n
• Access to suitable laboratory facilities or an established laboratory network capable of producing and shipping physical prototypes.
\n
• Experience working with early stage brands or founders on original product development.
\n
• U.S. based location, although qualified international candidates may be considered.
\n

This is an independent, project based opportunity focused on technical feasibility, hands on formulation development, physical prototyping, testing, and optimization.

The selected scientist may also support manufacturing scale up and commercialization, depending on their expertise and project needs.

We are seeking a technical lead who values original product innovation, scientific problem solving, and collaborative development.

The development agreement will define ownership of custom formulations, intellectual property created during the engagement, technical documentation, and development deliverables. The project is intended to produce a fully documented, transferable formulation that can be manufactured by qualified third party manufacturers without unnecessary dependence on a single provider.

Interested candidates are encouraged to provide:

\n
• A brief overview of their relevant nutritional powder formulation experience.
\n
• Examples of comparable product development projects, particularly high protein, calorie dense, or functional ingredient formulations.
\n
• Information about their hands on laboratory capabilities and ability to produce and ship physical prototypes.
\n
• Relevant experience with plant proteins, powdered fats, ingredient functionality, or technically challenging dry formulations.
\n
• Experience with original product development and commercial scale up, if applicable.
\n
• Current availability for independent consulting or project based formulation development.
\n

We welcome experienced independent food scientists, formulation consultants, and specialized R&D professionals who are interested in leading the development of an innovative nutritional product.