manager, Roasted Coffee Quality

Starbucks Coffee Company is a globally recognized leader in the coffee industry, renowned for its commitment to quality, innovation, and ethical sourcing. Since its inception, Starbucks has strived to be a unique organization that not only celebrates the rich traditions of coffee but also fosters a sense of belonging, growth, and human connection. As a prominent coffeehouse chain, Starbucks has cultivated an extraordinary workforce guided by its mission and values, emphasizing quality, community, and sustainability at every stage of the coffee journey. Starbucks operates with a strong focus on delivering premium coffee experiences to millions of customers worldwide, constantly pushing the boundaries of coffee craftsmanship and quality assurance.

The company is currently seeking a Roasted Coffee Quality Manager, a pivotal leadership role responsible for overseeing the quality systems related to roasted coffee across multiple operational sectors including development, roasting, packaging, and scale-up processes. This managerial position blends strategic leadership with deep technical expertise and sensory evaluation skills to maintain and enhance the flavor integrity and safety of Starbucks coffee. The successful candidate will lead a high-performing team of coffee quality professionals and will be instrumental in driving the quality culture through innovation, continuous improvement initiatives, and rigorous oversight of coffee quality standards.

As a Roasted Coffee Quality Manager, you will establish the vision and strategic objectives that align with Starbucks’ overall priorities. Your responsibilities will include leading large-scale quality initiatives across the Pilot Plant and manufacturing environments, setting quality standards, and balancing priorities such as quality, scalability, and speed. You will govern roasted coffee quality systems, apply scientific and statistical methodologies such as Statistical Process Control (SPC), Design of Experiments (DOE), and root cause analysis to minimize variation and optimize processes. A key aspect of the role is translating complex coffee quality data into actionable standards ready for plant implementation while solving broad-scale quality issues using structured problem-solving techniques.

In addition to quality assurance, you will spearhead product safety programs and ensure readiness for acrreditation certifications like HACCP, PCQI, and Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards including BRC, SQF, and FSSC. Monitoring roasted coffee quality trends and promoting consistency improvements across operations will be vital to your success. You will provide quality leadership specifically for the Pilot Plant and innovation teams by defining quality and safety requirements for trials, conducting rigorous sensory evaluations based on Starbucks cupping protocols, and ensuring the integration of validated controls across functions. Effective communication of complex technical information to various stakeholders is critical for enabling cross-functional collaboration and continuous quality enhancements.

Starbucks offers an inclusive work environment with comprehensive benefits for partners and their families. Benefits include access to medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance options, disability benefits, paid parental leave, paid vacation starting from the date of hire, sick leave accruement, paid holidays, and personal days. Partners are also eligible for a 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match, stock programs, educational assistance through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, and other financial well-being tools. The company promotes a balanced work schedule with onsite work expectations of four days a week, encouraging collaboration and shared success. The offered base salary is competitive and depends on various factors such as experience, location, and internal equity.

Starbucks Coffee Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion, providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If you possess a passion for coffee quality, leadership skills, and scientific expertise in food safety and manufacturing, this role offers a unique opportunity to influence coffee quality on a global scale and be part of an innovative team dedicated to inspiring with every cup.