About HyphenHyphen designs and builds automated food preparation systems (aka Makelines) that are transforming how restaurant chains (e.g., Chipotle, CAVA) and foodservice operations (e.g., Compass Group, Aramark) produce and serve fresh food. Hyphen’s system augments kitchen staff and reduces labor-intensive food prep and assembly; enabling retailers to offer high-quality, consistent meals at scale while mitigating food waste and massively increasing operating margins. Backed by top-tier venture investors and enterprise customers, Hyphen is entering an aggressive growth phase targeting the $300B+ grocery prepared foods market. Think of Hyphen as the infrastructure layer for the future of fresh food; where any retailer can offer an automated salad bar, bowl station, food delivery, or grab-and-go program without the overhead of traditional food prep.
The RoleHyphen is hiring its first dedicated SDR team to build and own the top of our sales funnel as it launches a new go-to-market motion. This is a ground-floor opportunity to shape how Hyphen enters a massive, underpenetrated market.
This role sits at the front of Hyphen’s revenue engine. You will not be responsible for closing deals. You will be responsible for creating them. You’ll work directly with the founders and Head of Sales to identify target accounts, craft outreach strategies, and generate qualified meetings with operations leaders. As our GTM strategy evolves, you'll evolve with it.
This role is ideal for someone who wants to:
- Get in early at a venture-backed company entering a hypergrowth phase.
- Work directly with founders and have real influence on sales strategy.
- Build a career in enterprise sales, with a clear path to Account Executive.
- Sell a physical product with tangible, measurable customer impact – not just software.
What You'll Do- Build qualified pipeline: Conduct targeted outbound prospecting via cold calls (65+ each day), personalized email sequences, and LinkedIn to generate meetings for senior sales leadership.
- Target the right buyers: Research accounts and map decision-makers across grocery retail, convenience, and foodservice (typically VP of Operations, VP of Prepared Foods, COOs, or Presidents).
- Qualify demand: Assess inbound and outbound leads based on business fit, operational pain points (labor shortages, labor costs, food waste), and readiness to adopt automation. Ensure no qualified interest is lost.
- Manage the funnel: Maintain disciplined CRM hygiene. Track outreach activity, call notes, and next steps with high accuracy.
- Iterate and improve: Collaborate with founders and Head of Sales to refine messaging, test outreach angles, and surface market intelligence (objections, feature requests) to product leadership.
- Meet in the field: Join prospect and customer visits across the Bay Area and beyond—site walks, discovery conversations, and in-person follow-ups. A reliable car and valid driver’s license are required (see below).
How You'll Be MeasuredYou are operating in a high-accountability, high-impact environment.
Success in this role is measured by:
- Qualified meetings booked and pipeline created.
- Conversion rates across the funnel (contact-to-meeting; meeting-to-opportunity).
- Speed-to-lead for inbound interest.
- Quality of handoffs to sales intros and pitches.
Who You Are- 1–3 years of experience in sales or business development; ideally at a fast paced startup, as a founder, or in a high-velocity outbound environment.
- Exceptional communicator: You write crisp, compelling emails and are confident on the phone. You can talk to operators and executives without sounding scripted.
- Curious and coachable: You ask good questions, absorb feedback fast, and apply it immediately. You’re not defensive; you’re hungry to learn.
- Resilient and self-directed: You know the difference between activity and progress, and you handle rejection without losing momentum.
- Genuinely interested: You find it compelling that automation can bring fresh food to places that currently can’t offer it. You don’t need to be a food industry expert, but you’re excited to become one.
- On-site at HQ, 5 days a week: This is an in-person role at Hyphen’s San Jose, CA headquarters. You’ll work shoulder-to-shoulder with the founders, Head of Sales, and your SDR teammates. Remote and hybrid arrangements are not available.
- Reliable vehicle and valid driver’s license: You’ll visit prospects and customers in the field throughout the week. A reliable personal vehicle, a valid driver’s license, and a clean driving record are required.
Nice to Have (Not Required):
- Experience selling to enterprise buyers in grocery, retail, foodservice, or industrial automation.
- Proficiency with CRM and outbound platforms (HubSpot, Salesforce, Outreach, Apollo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator).
Why NowThe grocery prepared foods market is experiencing a generational shift. COVID eliminated salad bars from thousands of stores—and they never came back. Consumers want them. Retailers want the revenue. But the old model (manual prep, high labor costs, food waste) doesn't pencil anymore.
Hyphen's technology solves this. We've proven the system works with enterprise deployments. Now we're scaling—and you'll be the person opening doors.
Compensation, Benefits & Growth- Base Salary: $55,000 – $70,000 (commensurate with experience)
- On-Target Earnings (OTE): $90,000 – $110,000 (base + performance-based commission)
- Equity: Competitive, market-aligned stock options, giving you a true stake in our long-term growth and success.
- Benefits:
- Full Medical: Multiple top-tier medical options (including Kaiser HMO and Anthem PPO/HMO plans) , plus generous dental and vision coverage.
- 100% Employer-Paid Disability: We cover your Short-Term and Long-Term Disability premiums in full.
- Life Insurance: Employer-sponsored Group Term Life Insurance covering 2x your salary.
- Everyday Perks: Pre-tax FSA, HSA, and commuter benefits.
- Career Path: Direct mentorship from founders with a clear path to Account Executive or broader GTM leadership as the team scales.
How to ApplySend your resume and a brief note (3-5 sentences) on why this role interests you to hiring@usehyphen.com. Skip the generic cover letter—tell us something specific about the opportunity that caught your attention.
Hyphen is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate candidates based on merit regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
