Head Coffee Roaster | New Luxury Startup | NYC

Job Description

Job Description

HEAD COFFEE ROASTER

Luxury Food & Beverage Brand | New York City

Full-Time | In-Person | $130,000 – $160,000

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

A first-of-its-kind luxury food and beverage lifestyle brand launching in New York City is seeking an exceptional Head Coffee Roaster to join its founding team. The brand spans e-commerce, subscription gifting, and flagship retail — celebrating the world's finest wine, chocolate, coffee, and tea under the ethos of "discernment and delight." It is backed and led by a repeat entrepreneur and tech founder, with seed capital in place and a target launch in 2025.

This is a ground-floor, creative ownership role. The Head Coffee Roaster is one of the brand's core "Taste Makers" — the expert practitioners who define product quality and serve as the human face of the brand. You will lead the craft coffee program end to end — sourcing, roasting profiles, product development, and pairings — and curate a rotating selection of single-origin and specialty coffees across subscriptions, gift boxes, and café service. Coffee is the primary focus; the role also sources and manages a white-labeled tea program near-term, with a dedicated tea expert to follow as the brand scales. You will also be a brand ambassador and on-camera presence, giving the audience an authentic window into the craft.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Product & Craft

• Lead development of first-party branded coffee — sourcing, roasting profiles, and product line
• Curate a rotating selection of single-origin and specialty coffees for subscriptions, gift boxes, and café service
• Source and manage a white-labeled tea program; curate selections across key categories (green, black, oolong, herbal)
• Collaborate with the Head Chocolatier and Sommelier on pairings — coffee × chocolate, tea × chocolate, and seasonal collections
• Oversee roasting operations and quality control for all first-party coffee production
• Lead menu engineering and recipe costing across the coffee and tea program

Content & Community

• Film regular video content — product spotlights, behind-the-scenes production, sourcing stories, tasting tutorials — for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok
• Work closely with the marketing team on content creation and brand storytelling
• Participate in live tastings, corporate events, and brand activations
• Engage authentically with the brand's online community of enthusiasts

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 5+ years of specialty coffee roasting experience; SCA certification strongly preferred
• Deep knowledge of origin, processing, and flavor profiling across coffee categories; working knowledge of specialty tea
• Proven ability to develop original roasting profiles and manage small-batch production
• Comfortable and natural on camera — able to communicate craft with clarity, warmth, and personality
• Collaborative mindset — excited to work across teams including with a Sommelier and Head Chocolatier on pairings and product development
• Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to thrive in a high-agency, ground-floor environment

Preferred

• Experience with international coffee traditions (Mexican, Japanese, etc.)
• Prior experience at well-regarded specialty roasters (e.g. Stumptown, Blue Bottle, or equivalent)
• Prior experience in a luxury food, hospitality, or DTC brand
• Existing relationships with coffee and tea suppliers or specialty ingredient sources
• Active presence or following in the food, coffee, or tea community
• Social media presence demonstrating authentic audience engagement
• Connected to the NYC specialty coffee community

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS