Beverage Experience Developer

Hello potential future Oatly employee. It’s us, the original oatmilk company that started in Sweden back 25 or so years ago and has since expanded to the U.S. where we’ve continued growing at a rate such that we need more brilliant minds to come work with us to keep the momentum going and the oatmilk flowing.

Sustainability, health, and transparency are the core values that guide everything we do. Basically, we exist to help people live a healthier life without recklessly taxing the planet’s resources in the process, and to change the food system for the better. We drive that change through the power of oats and through a significant reduction in cow’s milk consumption. If any of this resonates with you, then maybe you’d like to work for Oatly, too. Now onto the formal stuff.

The Beverage Experience Developer will be key in Oatly's mission to lead taste innovation within the out-of-home (OOH) beverage world. This role goes beyond coffee, encompassing a wide range of beverage applications including mixology, tea-based drinks, and emerging beverage trends. The ideal candidate will be highly creative, obsessed with emerging trends, and keen to push the boundaries of taste and experience in the OOH food and drink sector.

Qualified candidates must reside in a major metropolitan area on the East Coast due to business needs; New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, or Washington D.C. preferred. 

Here are the things we want to hire you to do:

• Develop innovative food & drink application recipes using Oatly products for OOH operators across North America, spanning coffee, cocktails, smoothies, and beyond

• Collaborate with consultant creators and internal teams to challenge the limits of plant-based beverage innovation

• Work closely with Oatly's Product Development team to test new products, share insights and support innovation

• Proactively research and anticipate beverage industry trends, consumer preferences, and flavor profiles

• Select and source customer-relevant development ingredients to stay ahead of the curve

• Work closely with the Barista Market Developers and Sales team to gather insights and align with customer needs

• Conduct taste tests and gather feedback on new beverage concepts, including more experimental drinks for top-tier customers

• Present and pitch innovative drink concepts to customers and internal stakeholders

• Gather online engagement and sales data of launched recipes to inform future development

Here are the things we think you need:

Knowledge and Skills

• Understanding of the OOH food and drinks industry in the US, with a finger on the pulse of emerging global beverage trends

• Strong alignment with Oatly's mission of promoting health, sustainability, and innovation in the food industry

• Curiosity-driven approach to exploring new flavors, ingredients, and beverage concepts

• Creative problem-solving skills with a willingness to experiment and fail.

• Some understanding of food science, nutrition, and the technical aspects of beverage formulation

Personality and Soft Skills

• Highly curious, creative, and always eager to explore new experiences in the food and drinks world

• Self-motivated with a proactive approach to trend-spotting and idea generation

• Collaborative, energetic, and positive

• Strong relationship-building skills to win over customers and internal stakeholders

• Comfortable working in a dynamic environment that encourages pushing boundaries

Required Experience

• Demonstrated passion for and experience in beverage development, whether through formal education, work experience, or personal projects

• Excellent presentation and communication skills to effectively pitch new concepts and share your vision

• Comfortable working in a small team with a high degree of autonomy and initiative

• Familiarity with food and beverage operations and their ways of working

• Must reside in a major metropolitan area on the East Coast due to business needs; New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, or Washington D.C. preferred.

• Must be willing to travel up to 40% domestically, with potentially 1-2 international trips annually

And here’s another list of qualities we think make a good Oatly team member:

• You feel connected to our mission of encouraging health, sustainability, and transparency
• You are a self-starter who doesn’t need direct supervision to motivate you for success – we believe strongly in building a culture of individual accountability and ownership and need partners that can embrace that mentality
• You are ready to make your mark in a smaller, growing brand leveraging your experience to deliver amazing results and build an outstanding company
• You have an entrepreneurial spirit in that you’re comfortable with ambiguity and are energized by the process of building something lasting from the ground up
• You enjoy sharing your quirkiness and talents with your coworkers

Another bulleted list felt a bit too…bullet-y. So we wrote this long, awkward sentence to let you know all the ways we sweeten the deal when you work with us, like flexible vacation (take it when you need it), really great benefits (yes, pet insurance is in there), paid volunteer days off throughout the year (doing good is fun), free six packs of...(drumroll)…oatmilk, and you’ll also get genuinely great coworkers who are rooting for each other and the company to thrive. Oh, one more short but very important sentence: We are nimble and agile (not chaotic) in how we work, and we’re grounded in a long company history dating way back to the last century.

The salary for this role will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to geographic location, internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific location. Compensation may also include bonus, commission, or equity as applicable. Our good faith estimate for base salary is $85,000.

Our team is available to support you through the hiring process with reasonable accommodations to enable a barrier-free interview experience. We will maintain candidate privacy and confidentiality to enable an unbiased and equitable experience. If you need assistance applying for a role due to a disability or special need, please contact talent.management@oatly.com.

Oatly is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.