Scientist/Senior Scientist-Product Development R&D Hormel Foods; Austin, MN
Listed on 2026-02-18
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Research/Development
Research Scientist, Biotechnology
Scientist/Senior Scientist-Product Development R&D Hormel Foods (Austin, MN)
Austin, MN, United States
Job DescriptionSCIENTIST/SENIOR SCIENTIST- PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT - RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Research & Development - Hormel Foods Corporation (Austin, MN)
To save time applying, Hormel Foods does not offer sponsorship of job applicants for employment-based visas for this position at this time.
ABOUT HORMEL FOODS —Inspired People. Inspired Food.™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is a global branded food company with approximately $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include
Planters®, Skippy®,SPAM®,Hormel®Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, Wholly®, Hormel®Black Label®, Columbus®, Jennie-O®and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of the best companies to work for by U.S. News & World Report, one of America’s most responsible companies by Newsweek, recognized by TIME magazine as one of the World’s Best Companies, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts.
The company lives by its purpose statement —Inspired People. Inspired Food.™— to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, .
Position Overview
We are seeking a highly skilled Research & Development Scientist/Senior Scientist to drive product and process optimization initiatives across our Retail and Food Service business units. This role is responsible for improving product quality, increasing plant efficiencies, and identifying cost‑reduction opportunities while ensuring compliance with food safety and regulatory expectations.
In addition, this position will investigate and evaluate emerging front‑end technologies, such as novel thermal and non-thermal processing, innovative food manufacturing systems, automation capabilities, and new ingredient solutions, to establish future innovation platforms for product portfolio.
The ideal candidate blends strong scientific expertise with practical, hands on problem solving abilities, and enjoys working in an environment that bridges benchtop experimentation, plant line trials, and cross‑functional teamwork.
Candidates with strong foundational experience will be considered for the Scientist level, while those with demonstrated leadership in complex projects, advanced technical skills, and significant industry experience may be considered for the Senior Scientist level.
Key Responsibilities
Product & Process Optimization
- Independently identifies project opportunities and plans, formulates and conducts research to develop new or modify existing processes.
- Ability to understand and perform scientific benchtop work, which may include running pilot plant equipment, using complex software, conducting laboratory methods, training others on technical methods, etc..
- Conduct research to optimize formulations, ingredient systems, and processing parameters to enhance yield, functionality, shelf life, and sensory attributes.
- Partner with plant operations to diagnose and solve process challenges, evaluate capability constraints, and implement sustainable improvements.
- Develop and execute cost‑savings projects through ingredient optimization, process efficiencies, and yield enhancement strategies.
- Identify, research, and evaluate emerging technologies, tools, ingredients, and processing systems that can support next-generation innovation platforms.
- Assess technical feasibility, scalability, and potential business impact of new technologies.
- Provide clear recommendations on development pathways, required investments, and implementation timelines.
Research & Technical Leadership
- Design and execute well‑structured experiments, pilot runs, and line trials using sound scientific methodology.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret data to generate actionable insights, technical reports, and recommendations to cross functional team leadership.
- Serve as a technical resource for cross‑functional teams, providing expertise in formulation,…
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