Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Manager, Communications

at UPSIDE Foods

🏢 About UPSIDE Foods

UPSIDE Foods is a pioneering cultivated meat company leading the food revolution by growing real meat directly from animal cells, eliminating the need for industrial animal agriculture. The company stands out for being the first to receive FDA approval for cultivated meat and operates with a mission to create a more sustainable, ethical, and secure food system. Working here offers the chance to be at the forefront of food technology innovation while addressing critical global challenges.

About This Role

As Senior Manager, Communications at UPSIDE Foods, you'll lead strategic communications to shape public perception of cultivated meat and drive the company's mission forward in Emeryville, CA. This role involves managing media relations, developing compelling narratives about food technology, and positioning UPSIDE as an industry leader during a pivotal growth phase. Your work will directly impact consumer acceptance, regulatory progress, and investor confidence in this transformative sector.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with monitoring media coverage about cultivated meat regulations, then collaborating with R&D teams to translate new scientific developments into press materials. You'd likely spend midday pitching stories to food and tech journalists, followed by preparing executives for media interviews about UPSIDE's latest milestones. The day often ends with analyzing communications metrics and planning how to advance public understanding of cellular agriculture.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who UPSIDE Foods Is Looking For

  • Has 7+ years of communications experience in food tech, biotech, or mission-driven CPG companies with proven success in managing complex narratives
  • Demonstrates expertise in translating scientific concepts (like cellular agriculture) into accessible, compelling stories for diverse audiences
  • Possesses strong media relationships with food, tech, and business outlets, with experience navigating regulatory or controversial topics
  • Shows strategic thinking about how communications drives business goals in a fast-growing startup environment

📝 Tips for Applying to UPSIDE Foods

1

Highlight specific experience communicating about food technology, sustainability, or scientific innovation—UPSIDE isn't looking for general corporate comms experience

2

Demonstrate understanding of the cultivated meat regulatory landscape by mentioning FDA approval milestones or similar frameworks

3

Show how you've built media relationships that resulted in coverage in outlets like TechCrunch, Fast Company, or food industry publications

4

Include metrics showing how your communications work drove business outcomes (investor interest, consumer engagement, policy progress)

5

Tailor your application to Emeryville's biotech hub context—mention local networks or experience in the Bay Area innovation ecosystem

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your passion for sustainable food systems and specific knowledge of cultivated meat/cellular agriculture', 'Examples of successfully communicating complex scientific topics to mainstream audiences', 'Experience managing communications during regulatory milestones or product launches', 'How you would position UPSIDE against both traditional meat companies and plant-based alternatives']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → UPSIDE's specific cultivated meat products (chicken, beef) and their FDA approval timeline
  • → Recent media coverage about UPSIDE and cultivated meat competitors (Good Meat, Believer Meats)
  • → The company's leadership team and their backgrounds in biotech/food tech
  • → Current debates in the cultivated meat space (labeling regulations, consumer acceptance challenges)

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you communicate the safety and benefits of cultivated meat to skeptical consumers?
2 Describe your approach to managing communications around regulatory approvals or challenges
3 What media outlets would you prioritize for UPSIDE and why?
4 How would you measure the impact of communications on business goals in this industry?
5 What unique challenges do you foresee in communicating about cultivated meat versus other food technologies?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Treating this as a generic corporate communications role without showing specific food tech/sustainability expertise
  • Not understanding the difference between cultivated meat and plant-based alternatives
  • Failing to acknowledge the unique regulatory and perception challenges of this emerging industry

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to UPSIDE Foods!

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