Senior Food Scientist

Food Scientist - Dry Blends & Seasonings Permanent Opportunity | Relocation Assistance Available

Are you a Food Scientist who enjoys taking products from concept to commercialization? We're partnering with a growing food manufacturer seeking an Experienced Food Scientist to lead the development of innovative dry blend products, seasonings, sauces, breaders, and batters.

This is a highly visible opportunity for an experienced product developer who enjoys both hands-on bench formulation and plant-scale commercialization. The ideal candidate will bring strong dry blend formulation expertise and experience supporting products through scale-up and manufacturing.

What You'll Be Doing

+ Lead the development and reformulation of seasonings, dry blends, breaders, batters, sauces, and related ingredient systems.

+ Conduct hands-on bench-top formulation, product optimization, and ingredient evaluations.

+ Design and execute trials focused on improving flavor, texture, functionality, shelf life, and cost efficiency.

+ Drive projects from concept through commercialization, including pilot and plant trials.

+ Partner closely with Operations, Quality, Sales, Marketing, Procurement, and customers.

+ Provide technical leadership on innovation projects and customer-focused product development initiatives.

+ Support manufacturing start-ups, scale-up activities, and process troubleshooting.

+ Ensure formulations meet food safety, regulatory, and customer requirements.

Qualifications

+ Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related field.

+ 7+ years of food product development experience (5+ years considered for highly relevant experience).

+ Strong hands-on formulation experience with dry blends, seasonings, breaders, batters, sauces, or related ingredient systems.

+ Experience bringing products from concept through commercialization.

+ Proven experience supporting pilot trials, plant trials, and scale-up activities.

+ Strong understanding of food safety, regulatory requirements, and ingredient functionality.

+ Ability to manage multiple projects while collaborating across cross-functional teams.

Preferred Experience

+ Customer-facing product development experience.

+ Experience working with co-manufacturers.

+ Technical leadership experience within R&D organizations.

+ Mentoring or leading junior scientists and technicians.

Why Apply?

Permanent, direct-hire opportunity

Relocation assistance available

High-impact role with significant influence on product innovation

Hands-on formulation and commercialization responsibilities

Opportunity to work with a broad portfolio of seasonings, dry blends, breaders, batters, and sauces

Visible position with cross-functional and customer interaction

Work Environment

The role operates in both office and laboratory settings, providing exposure to a normal office atmosphere as well as a food laboratory environment. While performing duties, the Food Scientist may work around ingredient dust, food aromas, and typical laboratory and plant noise. The position involves hands-on bench work, collaboration with cross-functional teams in office spaces, and participation in pilot and commercial production runs within manufacturing facilities.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Charlotte, NC.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $90000.00 - $100000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Dental, health, vision--working on getting full benefits package from HR

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Charlotte,NC.

Final date to receive applications

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 9, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a Clearly Rated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications…