Research Scientist, Nutritional Foods
Our client is a global leader in nutrition with over 40 years of experience in developing best-in-class meal replacement shakes and dietary supplements. Their products are designed to help their customers achieve their goals, but what makes our client unique is their ever-growing community. Their network of independent distributors spans across the globe and is here to support health minded people on their journey to better nutrition. The position is based in Southern California.
The role:
The Research Scientist, R&D Foods serves as a technical contributor and source of advanced knowledge in principles, concepts and theory related to food ingredient functionality, products, and processes. This individual will design, direct and/or conduct food-formulation, process development/optimization on assigned projects. The position accountabilities include identifying, documenting, and validating the appropriate food ingredients, formulations and unit processes that meet product standards and requirements, including product costs, quality, safety, and uniformity. The Research Scientist is a key position in R&D and must inspire, energize, and mentor junior staff with advanced technical knowledge, personal leadership, influence, thorough planning and drive for timely and appropriate results.
Travel:
This position will travel 15-20% to Manufacturing locations / Conferences / Seminars / Trade shows / other meetings within and outside of US.
How you would contribute:
- Identify proper ingredient suppliers and qualify new ingredients meeting right technical criteria for new product development.
- Create formulation using ingredients and premixes of complex interactions requiring no guidance.
- Own deliverables of key product attributes and meets expectations per marketing brief.
- Provides technical guidance to Junior scientists and oversees execution of their formulation work.
- Determine manufacturing feasibility and conduct pilots for new formulas.
- Manage IP and confidentiality, internally and when working with CMs .
- Demonstrated experience working with cross-functional teams, and leveraging external to our clients’ resources.
- Strong communication, decision making and problem-solving skills.
- Leverages statistical tools in implementing formula and process changes.
- Prepares and delivers technical reports, presentations internally (jr and sr level technical and business audience), and externally (vendors, etc.) .
Skills:
- Ability to function as a technical expert in protein bars, bites, snacks, nutritional beverage, food products and processing
- Ability to run projects from concept to commercialization with limited to no supervision
- Solid communication skills, both written and verbal
- Highly skilled at predicting outcomes and solving ingredient/formulation problems in a practical, timely and collaborative manner
- History of achieving positive results while working collaboratively with cross functional teams
- Ability to navigate a fast-paced environment with multiple stakeholders
- Has capacity to interact effectively at all levels of organization with sensitivity to diversity
- Competent use of MS Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint
- Has demonstrated experience coaching, training, and motivating product development scientists
- Ability to travel 15%-20%
Experience:
- 6+ years of product development experience solving technical problems with bars, bites, snacks, nutritional beverage/food related formulas from food industry
- Is recognized as a strong technical contributor for nutritional beverage/food ingredients, formulations and process expertise
- Business process orientation including adherence to New Product Process, testing protocols and appropriate Product Lifecycle Management (e.g. Agile) and laboratory notebook documentation
- Experience in working in a GMP environment
- Experience in functional areas that interact with R&D such as QA, QC, Regulatory, Manufacturing, sourcing, Supply Chain and Project Management.
Education:
- BS degree in Food Science or related
Our client values doing what’s right. They are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
All candidates must be able to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.
For more information, please contact Liz Pereira at 954 428-3888 or e-mail lizp@foodscience.com