Keap is looking for an Production and Logistics Associate in its Kingston studio to help in all aspects of production, shipping, and logistics so that we can produce the highest quality products for our loyal community of subscribers and partners, ship them effectively in a timely manner, all while creating an environment that is safe, comfortable, fun, and always improving.
Schedule: Mondays-Wednesdays 8AM - 4PM, Thursdays 8AM-5PM, and Fridays 9AM-4PM Starting base pay: $25.00/hour Location: Kingston, NY About Keap Keap is a company that makes candles—at the core, Keap facilitates a reconnection to the natural world, our loved ones, and our own spirit. The candles blend the scents of acclaimed master perfumer Christophe Laudamiel with a regenerative approach to materials and packaging. We make all our products in-house in our Kingston studio.
The company has been featured in leading publications such as the New York Times, Dwell, and Architectural Digest.
We're a small, caring team in the early years of a long-term journey to build a company that will benefit generations to come. We're looking for kind, thoughtful, self-reliant, problem solvers to join the team and help inform not just our candle production and shipping systems but also the direction of our company and culture. If you love scented candles, are passionate about regenerating our planet and believe this job description suits you, we would love to hear from you.
Who this might interest This is a unique opportunity to join a long-term minded small business, with a strong mission-driven ethos. We are looking for someone who enjoys tinkering and solving problems, and is hungry to learn and apply their skills in the real world. The ideal candidate has a broad palette of interests and has a genuine interest in Keap.
You are joining a small team responsible for the entire candle making process, shipping, and logistics for the company, and who are using lean methods to improve the safety, quality, speed, and environmental care with which we create our results.
In this role, you're equally at home figuring out how to use lean thinking to improve our wicking process as you are creating a Google spreadsheet to share reporting. You understand the importance of standards and are able to apply them consistently, in order to make every candle unboxing feel magical. You are able to prioritize effectively, manage your time skillfully and communicate clearly so that you get your work done while keeping the rest of the team updated.
You enjoy the idea of taking a scientific approach to your work: continuously measuring it so that you can notice variations and assess the effect of experimental changes.
You are comfortable jumping from one area to the other, and taking on other studio tasks as required in a fast-paced environment, whether it's tracking down a freight delivery or watering the plants. You enjoy working as a team and sharing great service with your co-workers.
When you are done, you don't wait for someone to give you more work. You proactively solve problems you have noticed in the flow or in the workspace and seek to make things work better for everyone.
You are dedicated, self-starting, thorough, and thoughtful in your approach to problem-solving.
In this role, you will… Perform all steps of the candle making process, from start to finish, including wicking, pouring, finishing, labeling, inspecting and boxing Perform all steps of the shipping process, from preparing shipments in our shipping software to boxing up candles and loading them onto the USPS truck Perform all steps in our waterspider system, re-provisioning stations with raw materials and supplies, receiving and testing inbound shipments, and participating in all the logistical areas needed to run a high quality operation Perform regular preventative maintenance on equipment, always looking for ways to make it easier and quicker Help to improve the way Keap produces and ships candles; improve the design and documentation of our processes to continuously reduce waste, improve quality, and make work safer and more fun Work closely with the rest of the Production and Logistics team, and occasionally with the Customer Love team Be willing to jump into other operational areas as needed What we're looking for A commitment to embodying our Values, to: Lead with Love - We lead with empathy and treat those we serve in the same way we would wish to be treated. Be Long Term Committed - With every decision we make, we aim to do what is right for the sustainable, long-term good of our customers, community, ourselves, and the planet. Be Intellectually Rigorous - We seek to be both teachers and students in all that we do, always humbly looking for further improvement. Strong initiative and thirst for learning new skills and tools Exceptionally detail-oriented Take pleasure in performing work to an exacting standard Enjoy taking a scientific approach to measuring and experimenting with how to improve the quality and speed of our work Effective communicator, in both written and verbal English Strong sense of service and empathy Comfortable working with data and using web apps for work tasks Excellent organizational skills, time management skills Enjoy being part of a team working towards shared goals Unafraid to gracefully speak out and bring up issues and obstacles Requirements Bachelors' degree or equivalent Computer literacy, very comfortable using Google Chrome and Google Docs Comfort with other web tools, such as Slack, wikis, and project management software Comfort with spreadsheets a big plus Ability to use, maintain, update, and improve systems documentation, including on Keap's digital systems Availability to work on-site Monday through Wednesday 8AM - 4PM, Thursday 8AM-5PM, and Friday 9AM-4PM Good mathematical skills, basic understanding of statistical methods Ability to lift 50 lbs and stand for long periods of time Comfort working with industrial equipment, plus doing some lifting Experience with "lean" systems a plus, but not a requirement How to apply Please email your application to with the subject "Operations Associate".
Be sure to include:
Your resume A note explaining your interest in the role Contact details for three professional references We look forward to your application and the possibility of you joining our team!
Keap is an equal opportunity employer. As part of our commitment to fight for equality, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.
—
This position is full-time and on-site at our new studio in Kingston, NY. All full-time Keap employees currently receive 5 weeks paid vacation, $200/month toward healthcare expenses or insurance premiums, major candle benefits, and more. We're always working to improve our benefits.
Keap is a Public Benefit Corporation, and our ultimate vision is to restore balance to humanity's relationship with the natural world. Making amazing candles is what most people know about us, but we measure our success as a company by our progress on that greater aim.
We are sorry that we cannot respond to each applicant individually. Due to our small size and the large volume of applications we receive, we are only able to respond to candidates who best match the qualifications of our open positions. The process can take some time, so we appreciate your patience.
