Spreading Joy Through Earth’s Gifts Since 1980 For over 45 years, the spirit of Kuumba has inspired everything we do. It all began with our founder, a deeply compassionate woman whose powerful connection to nature and unshakable spirit of adventure shaped who we are today. After traveling the world exploring diverse cultures and their traditional plant remedies, Denise "Kuumba" Piazza, came to understand that the earth provides everything we need to care for ourselves and one another. She learned to transform nature’s beautiful gifts into products that nurture and uplift—always with the intention of spreading love and care. That love is woven into every formula, every step of the process, and every batch we create. As Kuumba Made employees, we are part of something meaningful. Every product we craft, every order we ship, and every interaction we have reflects our shared values. We are a people-first company, and the heart we put into our work is what makes Kuumba Made truly special. Kuumba Made is a proudly woman-owned, WBENC-certified company based in Tucson, Arizona. For 45 years, we have been handcrafting natural personal care products with intention, care, and a deep respect for the power of plants. Ready to make a real impact? Explore open roles and apply today.

Overview

The Herbal Kitchen Specialist participates in the manufacturing and production processes of herbal fragrance and body care products. Responsible for herbal and botanical products manufacturing in accordance with established formulations, quality standards, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

This position combines technical production skills with knowledge of herbs, botanical ingredients, essential oils, and natural product manufacturing to ensure the consistent production of safe, high-quality products.

Essential Functions

• Manufactures herbal oils, body oils, salves, lotions, creams, balms, mists, bath products, and other botanical products according to approved formulas and production procedures.
• Measures, weighs, blends, heats, mixes, and transfers raw materials using established batch records and standard operating procedures.
• Prepares herbal infusions, botanical extracts, and essential oil blends while maintaining formulation accuracy.
• Operates kettles, mixers, scales, filling equipment, and other production machinery safely and efficiently.
• Inspects raw materials and finished products for quality, appearance, color, fragrance, texture, and consistency.
• Performs in-process quality checks throughout manufacturing.
• Reports quality concerns, equipment issues, or formulation deviations immediately.
• Assists with investigations related to non-conforming products and process improvements.
• Follows sanitation and contamination prevention procedures.
• Monitors inventory levels of raw materials and finished goods, coordinating with procurement teams.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• One (1) year of experience in herbal fragrance production, manufacturing, compounding, food production, or cosmetics production.
•  OR an equivalent combination of education, certification, and experience that results in the successful performance of the job. Additional education may substitute for required experience on one-for-one year basis or vice versa.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of process improvement systems and approaches.
• Knowledge of fragrance formulation, blending, and production techniques.
• Knowledge of database utilization and maintenance.
• Knowledge of GMP, safety regulations, and industry compliance standards.
• Ability to set and execute goals, both independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities in a production environment.
• Ability to analyze production metrics and implement process improvements.

 

Work Environment

• Active work environment. Work performed generally in an office, clean room, and/or production setting and may require standing for extended periods, walking through production areas, lifting materials up to 50 lbs, and wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as necessary.

Full-time: Mon-Fri, 8a-5p

Pay Range: $19-$22/hr, DOE

Benefits; medical, dental, vision, 401K, 401K match, Paid Time Off, Employee discount program