Product Manager

The opportunity

At ZBiotics, we make genetically engineered probiotics that improve daily life. As a group of motivated, yet down-to-earth people, we are fueled by two things: a love for science and a commitment to being people-first. GMO products like ours, designed to benefit individuals rather than corporations, are the future. As the first to market, we believe it’s our duty to set a high bar for product quality, safety, and transparency for others to follow.

In 2019, we launched the world’s first genetically engineered probiotic: a 15mL probiotic drink designed to break down the alcohol byproduct that leads to rough mornings after drinking. Since then, ZBiotics continues to grow year after year. With new, completely unique products on the way, our team is growing. We’re looking for people as excited as we are to build this new category of consumer products.

We are hiring a Product Manager to lead the commercialization and launch of our second product: a genetically engineered probiotic with a totally novel function benefitting the microbiome and gut health. Specific details about the product will be discussed in the interview process. This second product – the second ever genetically engineered probiotic in the world to go to market – is an exciting evolution of our company, the category, and the industry. It is an actualization of our mission to create, brand, and sell GMOs that people want, and an essential step forward in our vision to create a future in which everyone uses GMOs in their daily lives because they work, they’re safe, and people trust them.

Experience must-haves

If your experience doesn’t align perfectly but you are a dedicated, quick learner, please apply!

• A minimum of 2 years experience in product management or a related field
• Experience assessing customer opportunities through surveys, interviews, and/or focus groups
• Experience in consumer packaged goods, or some type of physical product (e.g. durable goods, electronics, etc.)
• Can speak the language of scientists, designers, manufacturers, and strategic partners—you're comfortable translating the technical to the non-technical and vice versa
• A genuine passion for making products that have a meaningful impact on people’s everyday lives

Experience nice-to-haves

• Experience working with food/beverage and/or DTC products
• Knowledgeable across a variety of consumer market research methodologies and analyses
• Proven track record of good instincts about user experience
• Personal interest in and comfort with biotechnology
• Direct experience working as a project manager, marketing manager, or product designer

Your impact

As a Product Manager, you will help ZBiotics enter our next phase of growth by taking our second consumer product to market. While the key ZBiotics ingredient has been developed – a proprietary strain of probiotic bacteria engineered to perform a novel and useful function in the gut – the final product containing this ingredient needs to be developed, positioned within our overall ZBiotics brand, and commercialized. You will report directly to the CEO and work closely with senior leadership, R&D, Operations, and Marketing to:

• Develop and manage a product launch roadmap and timeline, including product design, positioning, pricing, packaging, manufacturing, customer discovery, messaging, etc.
• Gather feedback from beta testers and potential customers to gain an in-depth understanding of who the target customer is and the ideal product experience, helping other departments translate this into branding, commercialization strategy, and customer service training
• In partnership with Marketing and leadership, develop a product launch strategy
• Coordinate with Marketing, Operations, Customer Service, R&D, and Quality departments to ensure timelines are met and interdependent tasks are accomplished
• Facilitate work by R&D and Supply Chain to ensure a high-quality, high-integrity product in its final production form factor at scale ahead of launch
• Identify potential blockers to a successful and timely launch of the product and strategize and implement workarounds and solutions
• Manage the budget allocated for commercialization of the second product

After three months, you have …

• Internalized the ZBiotics brand and customer
• Know more about the new product than any other single person at ZBiotics
• In partnership with the CEO, shared a 2023 plan for your function
• Developed an understanding of the timeline and dependencies from each department heading to launch
• Presented a working launch timeline and roadmap with the company

After six months, you have …

• Fleshed out and are executing on a detailed product roadmap
• Performed (and continue to perform) research for market fit and channel strategy
• Developed a strong understanding of the existing market landscape, obstacles, and opportunities
• Talked to many potential customers
• Started executing on a strategy for robust potential-customer and beta-tester sampling and feedback

After your first year, you have …

• Successfully managed the launch of our second product
• Developed a first-year-on-market product strategy, defining KPIs and new market opportunities (new channels, wholesale, international, etc.)
• Helped contribute to a Product Commercialization Playbook for ZBiotics around all aspects of a ZBiotics product launch: timeline, website, marketing, packaging, distribution, manufacturing, quality, etc.
• Begun building a product development team

After your second year, your role has the opportunity to grow through …

• Managing the launch of Product 3 and beyond
• Working with R&D on new product strategy and development for pipeline products
• Become an expert on market and customer analysis, which will assist in ZBiotics developing future products

This role is for you if …

• You embody the ZBiotics values of Humanity, Integrity, Citizenship, and Science.
• You’re highly organized, and your happy place is navigating complex dependencies.
• You know how to bridge the gap between customer behavior and operational execution.
• You are most comfortable when there's lots to do and strategic prioritization is required.
• You have a high dynamic range. You have the ability to see the big picture but are comfortable diving deep into the details. You're not above rolling up your sleeves and doing the grunt work.
• You’re excited by the challenge of identifying product-market fit, and you can back up your position with research and data.
• Positioning GMOs and biotechnology as an exciting new frontier for customers excites you.

Benefits…

We believe in a life well-lived. ZBiotics offers competitive benefits for a life outside of work, including: health / dental, 401(k) matching, a minimum PTO policy (with unlimited time off), 16 weeks fully paid parental leave, a home office stipend, transit benefits for those in the San Francisco Bay Area, full-time work-from-home policy (if desired), and access to award-winning coworking office space if located in or visiting San Francisco.

We encourage you to apply...

At ZBiotics, we value our differences, and we encourage all – especially those whose identities are traditionally underrepresented in tech organizations – to apply.