Principal Scientist, Breakthrough Innovation

Ocean Spray is hiring for a(n) Principal Scientist, Breakthrough Innovation! We’re a team of farmers, thinkers, creators, and doers. Whatever your title, whatever your role – it always comes back to this: we’re a farmer‑owned co‑op where everyone rolls up their sleeves to get the job done. Three maverick farmers started it all – and we’ve been making our own way ever since.

The Principal Product Development Scientist, Breakthrough Innovation, will develop transformative food and beverage products to satisfy unmet consumer needs. The primary objective for this role is to expand our product portfolio outside of our current core categories into new verticals and product forms. This role resides within R&D but will require close collaboration with internal cross‑functional teams as well as external resources to conceptualize, formulate, and create new products.

The role requires broad ingredient and product development expertise, keen consumer understanding and an ability to ideate and develop innovative ideas. The ideal candidate will have a passion for new product development and possess a combination of creativity, deep technical knowledge, curiosity, and an ability to execute.

A Day in the Life...

• Ideate, design, develop and commercialize innovative new products that expand the company's portfolio beyond our core categories. Apply leading edge science to unlock innovation in new verticals.
• Collaborate closely with our Emerging Science group to bring leading‑edge technologies and ingredients to life in commercial products.
• Provide direct supervision and mentorship to a research technician, including assigning tasks, overseeing experimental execution, and supporting professional development.
• Benchtop prototyping and pilot‑scale tests.
• Comfort with ambiguity and fuzzy upfront blue‑skies ideation.
• Agile product and/or ingredient design with target consumer/customer at the center.
• Conduct competitive and feasibility assessments.
• Design ingredients and formula applications to ensure commercialized end products are reproducible and robust enough to meet customer expectations, quality, and cost and manufacturing requirements.
• Effectively manage technical timelines and multiple projects with competing deadlines.
• Develop technical timeline and collaborate on learning plan with cross‑functional partners.
• Deliver technical milestones within a stage gate framework.
• Perform costing exercises at multiple stages throughout the product development cycle.
• Present ideas and recommendations to senior management.
• Identify budget and cross‑functional resource needs.
• Identify and share portfolio‑building ideas and contribute to ideation sessions.
• Travel as needed for ideation sessions, trend treks, relevant trade shows, partner collaborations to commercialize new products at a manufacturing plant (15%).

What We Are Looking For:

• Food Science Foundation/Strong Technical Acumen
• Ability to apply scientific principles to research and creative problem solving
• Creative and strategic mindset.
• Courage to communicate directly and assume leadership role
• Willingness to influence broadly and defend ideas
• Highly motivated self‑starter, eager to challenge status‑quo and advocate for ideas with conviction
• Must be fearless in pursuit of big ideas
• Adaptability
• Expert understanding of food science, packaging, and manufacturing processes.
• Advanced degree in Food Science or Chemical Engineering, PhD is a plus.
• 7+ years in product development, with experience in supplements, pet food and/or nutraceuticals.
• Familiarity with FDA, USDA, or other relevant regulatory bodies and standards.
• Experience with PLM systems, Microsoft Office Suite, and data analysis tools.
• Note that this role is on‑site due to significant laboratory and pilot‑plant work

Education:

Bachelor's or University Degree (Required) Master’s Degree (Preferred)

Work Experience:

At least 7 Years of Experience

Annual Salary:

$96,200 - $132,220

The base salary range information above serves as a guideline of the position's typical hiring range. We value and appreciate what makes you unique and will consider a variety of factors when determining an offer. These factors include, but are not limited to, your skills…