R&D Scientist

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At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family‑owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award‑winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go‑Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy.

Lactalis USA, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring a R&D Scientist based in Buffalo, New York.

With the help of the Team Leader or Director of R&D, the candidate will be responsible for the technological part of projects, to improve existing products or create new products, within a specific product group or channel of business. The R&D Scientist will also organize and implement trials, from conceptual stages through the end of the projects, to reach the goals defined by the marketing teams.

• Provide technical knowledge on a variety of projects, which will improve quality, yields, or address any other areas identified by the company to enhance products or production processes.
• Propose ideas for new product
• With the help of Scientist II or Director of R&D, will propose and organize pilot plant or plant trials, interpret the results and assist process development; will be responsible to write well‑structured thorough reports, with proper conclusions and recommendations
• Work with plant and engineering in conducting feasibility studies pertaining to new product development and product improvement.
• Work closely and develop good relationship with other departments (Marketing, Purchasing, Packaging, Manufacturing, QA, Legal)
• Continually explore and evaluate ways to improve all aspects of production, including raw materials, production techniques, specifications, packaging, shelf life, etc.
• Participate in Quality Assurance activities involving any number of issues or concerns. This may include activities such as HACCP analysis, good manufacturing practices, labeling, standards of identity etc…
• Coordinate all support activities including maintaining complex technical notes and records of activity.
• Ensure the confidentiality of our process, information.
• Participate in patent search to protect company business and ensure that all findings are properly documented and recorded.
• Develop and maintain contact inside R&D company network, including developing product for other countries and subsidiaries or sharing data, information, knowledge with other teams.
• Develop and maintain both industry and academic contacts to remain current in regard to technical developments.
• Be capable of acting as an Research & Development Technician for all routine pilot plant activities.
• Demonstrate commitment to a safe working environment that promotes the health and wellbeing of all employees and that will further contribute to the Company’s overall performance and success.
• Travel and / or extended or off work hours may be required.
• This description reflects…