Sound Agriculture Hiring for Shipping & Receiving Associate at Emeryville, CA, United States Full Time

Why you should join us :

At Sound Agriculture, we believe our food system can nourish consumers while benefiting farming communities and the planet.

Through a deeper understanding of plant and microbial biology, we are leveraging the natural power of plants to make agriculture more agile and resilient.

Our work focuses on developing nutrient efficiency products and modernizing plant breeding to improve the way we farm and the food we eat.

Sound is a Series Dstartup funded by leading investors in food and agriculture including Leaps by Bayer, Syngenta Group Ventures, S2G Ventures, BMO Impact Investment Fund, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Fall Line Capital, Cavallo Ventures, FootPrint Coalition and Northpond Ventures.

What you’ll do :

We are seeking a Shipping and Receiving Associate to join our Facilities team working to support our team of office employees and Research Scientists working on crop solutions for more sustainable, healthier, and tastier food.

As a vital member of our operations team, you will be responsible for managing the shipping and receiving functions, ensuring the timely and accurate movement of goods and materials in and out of our facility.

In addition, you will monitor and restock inventory for the laboratory and place orders through our procurement software.

Additional help may be needed to support laboratory operations including work-order ticketing requests for the office and laboratory, glassware washing, autoclaving, and on-site horticulture preparations.

Your exceptional organizational and communication skills, plus keen attention to detail will contribute to the smooth operation of our supply chain and support the success of our company’s scientific research and development efforts.

This role reports to Facilities Manager and is based in our Emeryville, CA headquarters.

Compensation Target

Shipping and Receiving Associate $26.5 / hr to 28.8 / hr

Bonus target 10%

Bonuses are earned based on annual company and individual performance and are prorated based on the start date.

Sound reserves the ability to adjust the compensation range based on the final candidate’s experience, skillset, and geography.

In addition to on-target earnings, we offer above-average equity grants for the industry as we believe that every employee should have a stake in the company’s growth.

If you’re above this compensation target, we encourage you to reach out and discuss the entire package and opportunity before deciding not to pursue this position.

Responsibilities

Shipping Coordination

• Prepare and package items for domestic and international shipments according to specific guidelines and regulatory requirements.
• Generate shipping labels, documentation, and customs forms, ensuring accuracy and compliance with relevant regulations.
• Coordinate with courier services and freight forwarders to schedule pickups and deliveries.
• Track shipments and maintain records of outgoing packages to ensure timely delivery and provide updates to internal stakeholders.

Receiving and Inventory Management :

• Receive incoming shipments, inspect packages for damages, and verify contents against purchase orders and packing slips.
• Update inventory systems with accurate information on received goods, including quantities, lot numbers, and expiration dates.
• Notify the team when packages have arrived and / or deliver to them.
• Collaborate with Lab Ops and Finance teams to resolve discrepancies or issues related to received items.
• Organize and maintain the storage areas, ensuring proper labeling, organization, and rotation of materials.
• Conduct regular inventory audits to reconcile physical stock with recorded inventory levels.

Laboratory Management

• Point of use stocking in the laboratory marketplace and shipping and receiving
• Glasswash operations, washing, and maintenance
• Grow tent maintenance and soil preparation
• Responding to work requests coming from the laboratory team including but not limited to maintenance issues, safety observations, organizational projects, and handyperson tasks.
• Biological waste disposal handling
• Chemical inventory receipt / reconciliation
• Media preparation

Targeted Skills & Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent; additional education or certifications in supply chain management or logistics is a plus.
• Proven experience (>

1 year) in shipping and receiving operations, preferably in a biotechnology or pharmaceutical setting is a plus.

• Proficient in using shipping software and inventory management systems.
• Strong understanding of domestic and international shipping regulations, including hazardous materials handling and customs compliance.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
• Effective problem-solving and communication skills.
• Ability to lift (>

50 lbs) and move heavy packages or equipment, as required.

• Familiarity with biotechnology or laboratory materials is a plus.
• Strong organizational, project management and problem-solving skills with impeccable multi-tasking abilities
• Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to work through challenging situations
• Passion for mission-based work, especially in sustainability in food and agriculture
• Bachelor’s degree preferred

This role demonstrates our core values by :

• Boldness : Has an innovative approach to problem solving
• Ownership : Takes initiative to resolve issues and keep the shipping process and laboratory running smoothly
• Tenacity : Demonstrates perseverance when work is challenging to meet rigid deadlines
• Creativity : Has creative ideas to store consumables or resolve issues in the laboratory

What we offer :

• Opportunity to work in a disruptive startup with a talented, experienced, and growing team of dedicated individuals
• Competitive total rewards package, including equity
• Performance bonus structure or uncapped commission plan for sales positions
• Comprehensive health care plans that include Medical, Dental and Vision coverage
• Flex Spending Account (Healthcare, Dependent Care & Commuter Benefit)
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous flexible paid time off
• Paid parental leave
• Mental health and wellbeing benefits
• In-person and virtual events and engagement activities (we actually like hanging out with each other!) (e.g. First Fridays, Meditation, Potlucks, Cultural Events, Running and Climbing groups, Photo Contests, weekly Team lunch, etc.)

Sound Agriculture does not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third party recruiting agencies responding to job postings.

We will not respond to unsolicited requests to submit candidates.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We seek a diverse pool of applicants and consider all qualified candidates regardless of race, ancestry, color, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, Veteran status, marital status, or any other protected status.

Sound participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.

If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Sound is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before Sound takes any action, including terminating your employment.