R&D Food Scientist

The R&D Food Scientist L1 – NBI (New Bakery & Innovation R&D Platform) within Maker’s Pride (MP) is a technical position within the greater R&D team that requires a self-motivated, technically curious & creative, customer focused candidate who will work comfortably cross functionally on the New Bakery & Innovation Business Platform (NBI) with Operations, Sales, Quality, Regulatory, Marketing, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, Project Management and Engineering to drive results within Maker's Pride.

• Works on the new bakery projects in the New Bakery & Innovation R&D platform from concepts, ingredient sourcing, reformulating, cost management and product life cycle maintenance
• This position requires an individual to balance multiple assignments/tasks concurrently and demonstrate the ability to work independently or to lead a team within R&D
• Sets goals, specifications and manages full-scale production plant trials
• Works closely in cross-functional teams including Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Food Safety and Finance to design food products that meet nutrition guidelines, claims on pack and can be produced cost effectively across the many MP plants domestically. Enables business decision and gets results through clear cross functional communication
• Upon completion of successful trials this R&D Food Scientist will then turnover the production phase to Operations with set specifications, process instructions, appropriate yields and run rates
• Understands the business need, designs, implements tests, analyzes data, draws conclusions, documents, communicates results, and commercializes products
• Positively and proactively interacts with customers, prospects, R&D management and all colleagues to keep projects on track. Constructive technical relationship building, trust and communication skills are key to success in this role
• Travels and collaborates with plant personnel in production facilities
• Assists, Core Bakery R&D, upon availability to drive improvements in production processes to ensure consistency, efficiency, and waste reduction in manufacturing across production lines

• This role involves leading New Bakery & Innovation projects ensuring that all products meet quality, cost, safety, and market standards while business decisions are made efficiently
• Identifies and evaluates food trends with the Marketing Insights team that supports the business vision and customer strategy within a rolling 2-year horizon
• Develops an understanding of what MP food processing lines are capable of manufacturing
• Collaborates cross functionally within MP R&D platform teams (Bars, Bakery, Refrigerated & Frozen and Packaging) as needed. Works comfortably with suppliers and manufacturing facilities

• Manages some incoming new projects cross functionally
• Leads bench, pilot plant and production trials on new projects
• Manages new formulas within targeted costs for Private Label which can get produced commercially on the MP manufacturing lines across multiple MP plants to drive revenue growth
• Translates market trends and the consumer/business needs into innovative products and packages that can be commercialized in a fast-paced environment
• Has knowledge of suppliers, food manufacturers, trends, technological advancements, and ingredient innovations, incorporating them into product development
• Influences, manages projects/people, and solves problems effectively and efficiently
• Brings an entrepreneurial spirit and growth mindset

• Drives improvements in production processes to ensure consistency, efficiency, and waste reduction in manufacturing
• Proactively works with Procurement and suppliers to source innovative ingredients that align with product goals and enhance margin. Enables cross functional business decisions
• Provides training and support to Operations staff on new recipes and processes
• Stays up-to-date on Bakery trends and competitive products through Marketing Insights
• Stays up-to-date with industry developments, ingredients, and emerging technologies
• Engages with customers and Sales teams to ensure that products meet consumer preferences
• Attends industry conferences, trade shows,…