Summary

We’re looking for a cheesemaker to help us create a more sustainable food system. You want to churn out cheese wheels while helping to make our process more organized and efficient as we scale up production. And most importantly, you share our values. This position is based in Oakland, CA and offers competitive salary and equity.

About Tezza

Our food system represents a whopping 34% of global carbon emissions and is the primary driver of species extinction and deforestation. Within food, the biggest single problem is cows. Cows outweigh humans 🤯 and account for over 10% of carbon emissions. Dairy alone produces more carbon than all of aviation.
But the problem is that cows and their milk taste really good, and no amount of guilt will ever stop us from devouring them. The only solution is to create sustainable products that are better than cows on two factors: taste and cost.

Tezza is a public benefit corporation that discovers and designs microbial communities that transform inexpensive, sustainable plants into new categories of fermented foods. This approach allows us to create plant-based products that are absurdly delicious and cheaper than their animal-based counterparts. We are starting with the most resource intensive and addictive dairy product: 🧀.

About the position

You will be working with us to accelerate the discovery of cultured foods. Some of your responsibilities will include:

• Lead cheesemaking efforts
• Optimize production process
• Develop systems for tracking inputs and outputs of cheese production
• Own cheese and facility maintenance
• Assist with product development and/or process engineering
• This position is full time and not remote

Qualifications

• Physical stamina and dexterity for manual work
• Highly organized and able to keep track of multiple processes occurring simultaneously while recording notes
• Ideally, experience in a food production or manufacturing role with high physical demands and hygiene standards
• A deeply held conviction in our mission and values
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Desire to perfect a new-to-the-world product

What do you get out of it?

• Work on global sustainability problems via a hands-on, tasty product
• Large growth potential in different areas (management, research, operations, manufacturing, branding, etc)
• Learn about different aspects of building an early-stage startup
• We focus on growth, and we hire you not for this position, but for your next three positions. We will work with you to craft a learning plan to achieve your personal and career goals, at Tezza or elsewhere
• A chance to build the kind of place where you’d like to work

If interested, what should you do?

First, learn about our values, hiring process, and benefits here.
To apply, please email join@tezzafoods.com with a resume and responses to the following prompts (a conversational, unpolished tone is fine):

1. What motivates you right now? What about for the long term? And most importantly, why?
2. What are the most important things that you are striving to improve in yourself? What are you doing to work on them?

Tezza is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability status. But we acknowledge that we are flawed humans within a flawed society. We do our best and apologize and learn when that’s not enough.