R&D Food Scientist

R&D Food Scientist – Flora Food Group

Location:

On-Site at Hugoton, KS Factory

Reports To:

Pilot Plant Supervisor / Senior R&D Manager

Flora Food Group is a global branded food champion, offering a next-generation line of natural, nutritious foods that are more affordable and sustainable than dairy equivalents. Our brands include Flora, Becel+Pro Activ, Blue Band, Country Crock, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Rama, Violife, and many local and professional brands.

The R&D Food Scientist supports pilot plant operations and industrial implementation of new products, focusing on trial execution, data collection, and commissioning of new production lines while ensuring hygiene, safety, and process efficiency.

• Assist in planning and executing pilot plant trials with R&D project leads.
• Prepare equipment configurations and manage raw material and packaging inventory.
• Support trial execution, troubleshooting, and post-trial cleaning (CIP).
• Collect, format, and analyze trial data from acquisition systems.
• Maintain hygiene, safety, and first‑level maintenance of pilot plant equipment.

• Support commissioning of new production lines by verifying process parameters and product specifications.
• Collaborate with R&D, Quality, Engineering, and Operations for smooth product scale‑up.
• Participate in factory audits and identify optimization opportunities.
• Monitor product quality during production runs and assist in root cause analysis.

• Contribute to shop floor improvement initiatives focused on performance KPIs.
• Update SOPs and maintain documentation related to pilot plant operations and safety.
• Stay current with food processing technologies and propose equipment upgrades.

• Assist in training interns and temporary staff on pilot plant procedures and safety protocols.
• Participate in technical workshops and cross‑functional collaboration for product launches.

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Bioprocessing, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in food manufacturing operations.
• Internship or academic experience in a pilot plant or food manufacturing preferred.
• Strong foundation in food science and process engineering; hands‑on experience on the plant floor.
• Basic understanding of food processing equipment and hygienic design.
• Experience in improving processes, recipes, equipment upgrades, and testing methodologies.
• Strong communication, organization, and problem‑solving skills.
• Team‑oriented with the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and data analysis tools.

If you’re interested in this position, please click apply now! We encourage all qualified applicants to apply.

Mid‑Senior level

Full‑time

Research, Analyst, and Information Technology

Manufacturing

Flora Food Group is an employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and equal opportunities for all. We recruit based only on values, qualifications, performance, skills, behaviors, experience, and knowledge. We ensure job advertisements are free from unintentional bias. No personal characteristics should be a barrier to joining Flora Food Group. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or other personal characteristics.