Food Scientist I

This position will support our Happy Family team, focused on the development of baby and toddler foods across wet and dry food technologies. This role will be responsible for leading basic innovation and renovation projects, while contributing to maintaining business needs, driving cost optimizations, and improving the current portfolio. We're looking for someone who can drive and manage the complete product development life cycle.

This position will span across ideation, rapid prototyping, hands on bench work, pilot plant trials, industrial trials, commercializing product launches, analytical and organoleptic evaluation, and the management of R&I tasks to ensure stage gate progression. The candidate must be able to represent R&I interests to internal cross functional partners, external partners, as well as inspire internal teams to pursue consumer centric innovation opportunities.

This position will be located in Louisville, CO.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

Supporting the Happy Family Business with basic understanding of the R&I strategy and the ability to leverage diverse methods for executing projects.
• Manage and deliver basic innovation, renovation and productivity projects across a vast network of co-manufacturers, with primary focus on meeting strict nutritional, quality, organoleptic and cost targets while anticipating risks and building contingencies.
• Plan and execute bench, pilot, and plant trials for new and improved products, analyze test results and effectively translate these into problem solving for next steps that lead to project successes
• Develop and manage product formulas, finished good specifications, processing procedures and raw material specifications that ensure high quality finished goods. Additionally, collect and maintain supporting supplementary documentation to the main specifications.
• Support lab space organization & organize samples for internal and external tastings.

• Maintain a thorough understanding of and ensure product compliance with FDA and USDA requirements including US Food Labeling and National Organic Program Regulations.

• Engage team members within R&I project teams & foster basic relationships with core external partners.

The base compensation range for this position is $65,000-80,000 commensurate with experience. Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options. To give our employees flexibility, Danone is a hybrid work environment.

• B.S (M.S. preferred) in Food Science, Food Engineering or closely related field preferred with 0-3 years of experience in product and/or process development in the food industry.

• Basic understanding of foundational product development & scientific principles with ability to apply to projects.
• Nice to have expertise in hot fill / retort technologies &/or extrusion or baking technologies experience.

• Strong organization skills with attention to details & basic understanding of project management and time management.
• Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) and the ability to interact with all company functions including R&I, Marketing, Purchasing, Planning and Operations.
• Open-minded, passionate, self-driven, and creative team player with a strong growth mindset.
• Flexibility to travel up to 25%.
• Driver's license required.

At Danone North America, you'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world like Activia, Silk, Two Good, Oikos, evian, and Happy Family. You'll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps in the world, working together to make sure our brands create real benefits for people, communities, and the planet. We have 6,000 employees across the U.S. and Canada. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America doesn't just welcome what makes you unique, we value it. We're proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All hires to our team are based on qualifications, merit and business needs. We recruit, employ, train and promote regardless of race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, genetic characteristic or any other protected status. Faithful to our values of openness and humanism, all of our employees share in the commitment to engage one another with dignity and respect.

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