Customer Care Associate

About ZBiotics
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, built to create benefits for people in their daily lives, 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, ZBiotics launched Pre-Alcohol, the world’s first genetically engineered probiotic designed to break down the alcohol byproduct that leads to rough mornings after drinking. In 2024, we launched a genetically engineered probiotic drink mix, Sugar-to-Fiber, that creates fiber from the food you eat. This revolutionary product helps to improve the diversity of gut bacteria and overall gut health.

With a full line of genetically engineered probiotics in development, our team is growing. We’re looking for people as excited as we are to build this new category of consumer products. ZBiotics is headquartered in San Francisco, and backed by venture investors including Y Combinator, Khosla Ventures, and Social+Capital, among others.

About the Role
ZBiotics is seeking a self-motivated, organized customer care associate to embody, develop, and execute the team’s customer response strategy. Someone in this role excels by demonstrating an exceptional balance between delivering a world-class, empathetic customer support experience and operating efficiently. As the company is a fast-growing startup, an individual is needed who can change focus with agility, prioritize effectively, and communicate clearly to partner with anyone across the organization.

The position will report directly to the Customer Experience Senior Manager and collaborate cross-functionally with teams to work through operational solutions that improve the customer experience, all while ensuring brand alignment with customer engagement.

Platforms this role will use include Gorgias, Shopify, Skio, Pipe17, ShipBob, Notion, G Suite and Meta Business Suite.

While there is flexibility to work remotely, this person will spend at least two days a week supporting fulfillment and operations at our San Francisco office.

This role is for you if …
You live and breathe customer service, and deeply care about the customer experience. You know how to communicate effectively and empathetically across a range of audiences and have a deep appreciation for the entirety of the customer’s journey. You can strike a balanced tone, instill confidence, and know when it’s appropriate to call a customer on the phone to make things right.

You understand the role customer service plays in the overall success of a growing startup, and will present thoughtful solutions to elevate the brand. You won’t lose sight of a greater vision for where things are going, and will adjust systems and processes as the work scales.

You are inherently curious and aligned with the science-driven goals of the company. You can present creative solutions, and keep up-to-date on support systems and models that work well for the team’s needs. Above all, you are sharp, self-motivated, and willing to roll up your sleeves to learn as you go. You are thrilled by the opportunity to stretch both yourself and the company, bring an informed perspective, and will work closely with the team to achieve company goals.

Responsibilities

• At least 50% of this role will be dedicated to providing timely and effective responses to all inbound customer inquiries received through email, chat, and social media. This includes diligently monitoring these channels, prioritizing inquiries according to urgency and impact, and consistently meeting or exceeding ZBiotics' defined response time metrics while maintaining a high standard of customer service.
• Proactively track and resolve shipping issues, auditing delays and addressing fulfillment failures to minimize customer impact.
• Assist with on-site fulfillment and returns processing at HQ, including packing a number of daily orders and tracking office inventory when in office. 
• Develop and refine customer service macros/canned responses to improve efficiency and ensure consistency in communications.
• Identify and escalate recurring customer pain points to the appropriate stakeholders, providing insights to help improve processes and reduce complaints.
• Engage with social media responses when product- or customer service-related

Experience must-have’s:

• Demonstrated experience in customer service, hospitality, food service, or retail industries
• Strong written communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to comfortability give and receive feedback
• Experience working independently and managing own schedule
• Passionate about creating positive and empathetic customer experiences through proactive listening, open-minded problem-solving, and a genuine passion for providing world-class service in every interaction.

Experience nice-to-have’s:

• Exposure to CRM / CMS / support ticket platforms
• Inventory management or supply chain + logistics knowledge 
• Background in science and/or the ability to understand the basic mechanics of the core products

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, and access to co-working office space if located in or visiting San Francisco.

This position is required to work in person from our San Francisco office at least two days per week. This position may also be required to travel to attend occasional ZBioneers or external events.

The base salary for this position is $65,000 / year, and will include additional equity. A presented offer may be higher, depending on qualifications and experience.

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.