Food Scientist

Job Overview

Guides less complex product development and process improvement efforts in Renovation R&D by organizing, managing, and coordinating key projects from conception to commercialization. Provides technical support to the operations, sales, and marketing teams.

• Organizes and owns the R&D activities of assigned projects to ensure work is properly prioritized and completed in a timely manner to deliver results.
• Executes new products from conception to commercialization by working with sales, marketing, operation, purchasing and quality assurance.
• Maintains external and marketplace awareness related to new concepts, products, ingredients, and technologies.
• Engages team members to communicate and guide technical support for development of new products and technologies.
• Identifies and recommends new raw materials, ingredients, materials, and processes that improve products and reduce cost.
• Identifies, tests, and implements new processes and product formulas that lead to new products, cost savings and quality improvements.
• Provides technical support to operations to ensure product excellence and cost efficiency.
• Provides technical support to the Marketing and Sales teams to service existing customers and help gain new ones.
• Supports continuous improvement opportunities and solutions directed at improving profitability, product quality, food safety and capital avoidance.
• Seeks to enhance technical skills through project experience, seminars, professional conferences, and training programs.

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in food science/related field or equivalent.
• 3+ years of relevant experience or the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the role.
• Experience managing research and development projects.

• Solid oral and written communication, analytical, time-management, and human relation skills.
• Firm knowledge in food technology, ingredient technology, and food processing.
• Demonstrated ability to use new technology to significantly improve profitability, product quality, food safety and manufacturing complexity issues.
• Firm initiation skills with the ability to yield results.
• Technical/functional depth and proficiency in MS office suite.
• Experience with new product launches, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

• Poultry science / poultry processing experience.

• May be regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, reach, stoop, kneel, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, keyboard, and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision and the ability to adjust focus.

• Work performed in a variety of conditions including remote work, a climate-controlled office environment, and in a manufacturing plant environment with varying conditions (cold, wet, warm, chemicals).
• Employee must wear personal protective equipment while in the manufacturing environment.
• Remote work requires a dedicated workspace with reliable internet (recommended minimum 20 mb download, 5 mb upload).
• Noise level in manufacturing environment may exceed 85 dBA requiring hearing protection.
• Required to travel up to 50% of the time and attend manufacturing facility at least 2 days per week, possibly more pending project needs.

We embrace equal opportunity employment. Butterball is committed to the fair and impartial treatment of all employees and applicants for employment without regard to gender, age, race, religion, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, military/veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, or any other status protected by law.

This position is deemed Safety Sensitive for purposes of Butterball’s Drug/Alcohol Screening & Testing Policy. Details will be provided to individuals who receive a conditional job offer, or upon request.