Principal Food Scientist

Location:

Western Suburbs of Chicago Position Type:
Full-Time, Direct Hire Travel:
Up to 25% (Domestic & International) About the Company

Join a long-established food ingredients company specializing in creating custom enzyme products and applications for clients' specific needs.

When you join this team, you’re joining a company known for exceptional employee tenure, a collaborative environment, and an outstanding culture that our team members consistently rate as a great place to work. If you are looking for a stable, high-impact role where your expertise is valued and your career can thrive, we would love to hear from you.

We are seeking an experienced PhD Food Scientist to join the R&D laboratory as Principal Scientist. This pivotal role balances hands-on product development and R&D of enzyme products and applications with high-level technical client engagement.

As a key scientific voice for the company, you will lead custom product development, leverage analytical instrumentation, mentor laboratory staff, and serve as a technical liaison to international and domestic food industry clients.

• R&D & Product Innovation: Lead R&D initiatives and client projects including hands-on benchwork, Design of Experiments (DOE), and product analysis to drive new product innovation and fulfill custom client specifications.
• Analytical Testing: Utilize advanced analytical assays including HPLC, GC, and spectrophotometry to evaluate and optimize enzyme performance.
• Client Liaison & Technical Support: Serve as a primary technical resource for clients, deliver technical presentations at food & beverage industry trade shows, and collaborate directly on tailored customer solutions.
• Leadership & Mentorship: Supervise, mentor, and direct the daily work of 1–2 direct reports within the R&D lab.
• IP & Documentation: Draft reports and documentation to support potential patent filings and maintain internal knowledge assets.
• Travel: Travel up to 25% (domestically and internationally) for customer meetings, technical support, and industry conferences.

• Ph.D. in Food Science, Biochemistry, or a related scientific discipline and 3+ years of food science industry experience in an R&D or product development capacity.
• Hands-on experience working with enzymes as an optimization or product development tool for R&D projects
• Must be a named author or co-author on at least one patent
  .
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with proven ability to present complex technical topics to clients and stakeholders.
• Strong natural leadership capabilities; prior personnel leadership experience is a plus.