Candle Production Lead / Consultant

Posted yesterday

element brooklynNew York (NY)

Industrial Production Managers All Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing

SENIORITY

Senior

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About the role

The role: We need an experienced candle maker to be the engine behind every batch we produce. You'll own formulation, wick selection, burn testing, QC standards, and process optimization – the technical science of making great candles. This role can be structured as a full-time position or an ongoing consulting engagement – we're flexible and happy to talk through what works best. You'll partner with our Director of Production & Technical Innovation to translate strategy into repeatable, scalable processes. Our Production Manager handles day-to-day shift operations (safety, uptime, logs), so you can focus entirely on the craft and the science.

What you'll do: Design custom wax blends for optimal burn performance Lead wick testing across vessel types and sizes; build and maintain a tested library Create structured burn-testing protocols Draft QC SOPs that meet IFRA, ASTM fire safety, and CPSC regulations Identify bottlenecks and recommend equipment or workflow changes to improve output and labor efficiency Apply lean manufacturing principles (5S, Kaizen) where appropriate Maintain calibration and preventive maintenance schedules for equipment Evaluate and recommend suppliers of waxes, fragrance oils, wicks, containers, and additives Develop training modules for shift staff on new formulations, wick selection, and burn quality checks Translate new product concepts into production-ready formulations and provide feasibility assessments

What we're looking for: Commercial-scale candle manufacturing experience (2+ years) Deep knowledge of wax types and their performance characteristics Hands-on wick selection and testing across vessel formats Ability to diagnose burn issues quickly (tunneling, sooting, mushrooming, etc.) Familiarity with ASTM fire safety standards, CPSC regulations, and IFRA fragrance compliance Comfortable in a production environment: standing, lifting 40+ lbs, hands-on work Based in or willing to travel to Brooklyn regularly Compensation We're open to both full-time and consulting arrangements. Compensation will be discussed based on your preferred structure and experience level.

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