Product Development Scientist - Food

Shift: Mon-Fri (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM)

Job Description / Responsibilities:

• The Product Development Scientist will:
• Be responsible for identifying technical solutions and delivering product formulation and scale up needs for the innovation and renovation project portfolio.
• Partner with Marketing to leverage and translate sensory and consumer insights into products from concept to launch.
• Lead overall product development initiatives from bench top formulation to scale up.
• Support associated industrialization trials in close collaboration with Quality.
• Represent the R&D team as subject matter expert for product development and product knowledge transfer to the factories.
• Collaborate internally and externally to build strong relationships to continuously improve technical capabilities and facilitate agile project management.
• Work closely with procurement team to ensure new suppliers/ingredients are qualified for use in current/future formulations.

Key responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to:

• Lead consumer-focused new product/formula development projects for all domestic brands (Pure Life, Saratoga, Mountain Valley, Splash Refreshers Still & Sparkling, Poland Springs, Deer Park, Zephyrhills, Ozarka, Ice Mountain, Sparklettes, and Arrowhead).
• Set and manage product development project plans and facilitate execution to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget
• Hands on benchtop beverage development, scale up and industrialization
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Quality, Engineering, Purchasing, Regulatory and Legal while leveraging external resources from ingredient suppliers, co-manufacturers and other 3rd party resources to deliver project results and innovative new product formulations.
• Lead the qualification of 3rd party flavor houses, develop RFP/Briefs for new flavor/ingredient opportunities.
• Lead ingredient, product recipe and specification development deliverables through industrialization phase
• Manage technical direction of projects; identify /communicate key deliverables and next steps.
• Manage complex business relationships with ingredient, process technology partner companies, contract developers and manufacturers, consultants, vendors, cross-functional departments, and outside experts in support of achieving consumer needs and effective project execution.
• Effectively prioritize and manage multiple projects concurrently varying in length.
• Utilize the Client stage gate innovation framework to ensure full compliance with the Quality Management System and adhere to all relevant Client Technical Instructions for new product development initiatives.
• Support on-going operations with recipe/ingredient specification changes and the qualification of new ingredients.

Key Requirements:

• Hands-on experience in R&D, formulation, sensory testing, etc., ensuring the ability to develop and refine food/beverage products that meet market demands and safety standards.
• 7-10 years of relevant experience in Food/Beverage Product Development
• Food and/or beverage experience, specifically beverage formulation and processing highly preferred
• BSc in Food Science or similar
• Ability to make quick decisions in a technical environment
• Project management experience with flavor houses and sensory evaluation
• Experience with new suppliers and flavor/product scale-up
• Six Sigma Certification, GSTD/DMAIC (nice to have)

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required in Food Science, food engineering or related field
• Minimum 7-10 years of relevant work experience in product development, process scale up, quality, or manufacturing in CPG setting (Beverage development highly preferred)
• Strong project management experience with the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and in matrix environments
• Demonstrated competency in managing complexity and ambiguity
• Communicates in a timely, concise, and effective manner, both written and verbally.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills. Ability to effectively interface at all levels, with strong ability to influence with integrity, especially across functions.
• Ability to facilitate meetings, conference calls and present effectively to groups at all levels
• Strong computer skills, including the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Project, and PowerPoint as well as SAP
• Understanding of financials (COGs, basic P&L understanding)
• Six Sigma Certification, GSTD/DMAIC, FI experience a plus.
• Ability to travel, approximately 15% throughout the year.

Job Type: Contract

Pay: $56.00 - $70.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $56 - $70