Confections Formulation Scientist

Curaleaf•Lexington, KY

1d•$78,000 - $87,000•Onsite

About The Position

At Curaleaf, we’re redefining the cannabis industry with a strong commitment to quality, expertise, and innovation. As a leading global cannabis provider, our brands—including Curaleaf, Select, and Grassroots—offer premium products and services in both medical and adult-use markets. Join us at Curaleaf to be part of a high-growth, purpose-driven company that champions corporate social responsibility through our Rooted in Good initiative, supporting community outreach and positive change. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, drive innovation, and help shape the future of cannabis. Job Title: Food & Beverage Scientist Location: Lexington, KY (Relocation may be provided for the right candidate) Job Type: Full Time | Exempt Who You Are: You’re a curious innovator with a passion for food science and product development. With a strong background in food and beverage manufacturing, you thrive in hands-on environments where creativity meets compliance. You bring deep knowledge of ingredient functionality, emulsions, and hydrocolloids, paired with the technical skill to scale formulations from the lab bench to full production. Whether running shelf-life studies, managing formulation data, or collaborating with cross-functional partners, you approach each challenge with precision, organization, and a problem-solving mindset. Above all, you’re excited to push boundaries in the growing cannabis edibles and beverages space while upholding the highest standards of quality, safety, and compliance. What You’ll Do: As a Food & Beverage Scientist, you’ll play a central role in developing and scaling innovative cannabis-infused products. You’ll conduct formulation trials, lead product testing, and support commercialization to bring new concepts to market. Your work will span from sensory evaluations to regulatory compliance, ensuring each product is safe, consistent, and high-quality.

Requirements

5–8 years of experience in food or beverage manufacturing
A bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Food Chemistry, or a related field
Hands-on experience in beverage formulation and scale-up, with knowledge of production equipment for both beverages and confections
Strong understanding of ingredient functionality, food chemistry, emulsions, and hydrocolloids to design stable formulations
Familiarity with GMPs, food safety, and regulatory requirements, with direct experience in sensory testing and shelf-life evaluations
Excellent communication and documentation skills, paired with attention to detail and strong organizational abilities
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and formulation software
Willingness to travel up to 10% for trials, production support, and industry events

Nice To Haves

You have experience in the cannabis or hemp industry
You’re familiar with ERP/MRP systems for managing formulations and ingredient tracking
You bring experience applying data science or analytics to product development
You’ve supported R&D trials and helped scale products from concept to commercialization

Responsibilities

Supporting the development, optimization, and scaling of cannabis-infused edibles and beverages through bench trials, pilot runs, and full-scale production
Conducting sensory testing, shelf-life studies, and technical evaluations of texture, flavor, and stability using industry tools like viscometers and texture analyzers
Maintaining SOPs, batch records, and technical documentation to streamline operations and support audits
Ensuring compliance with GMP, food safety, labeling, and cannabis regulations, including coordinating third-party lab testing and interpreting results
Managing formulation and ingredient data using MRP systems and formulation software for efficiency and accuracy
Sharing data-driven insights that influence innovation, continuous improvement, and collaboration across the team