Food Scientist: Innovation and Scale-Up Products

Job Overview

Primary focus within Prepared (Deli, Ham, Sliced Lunchmeat) on Cost Optimization, Innovation, Technology Development and/or Quality improvement. The role involves developing emerging technologies, cost optimization, and commercializing new and improved products and/or processes under manager guidance. Responsibilities cover all stages of product development and process development, including writing product specifications, ensuring regulatory labeling and food safety requirements are met, and leveraging knowledge related to ingredients, product formulation and food processing to support best‑in‑class development of new, innovative food products.

• Work with and strongly influence marketing, insights, sales, culinary, FSQA, operations and purchasing departments, coordinating with suppliers of ingredients, ensuring smooth start‑up for new product production processes.
• Modify or optimize existing products, develop specifications for product production labeling, and compile cost analysis information.
• Work on multiple development and optimization projects of moderate complexity, independently, from concept through commercialization with guidance from manager.
• Plan, execute experiments, analyze data, and report results.
• Execute the development process including bench top development, pilot plant testing, and scale‑up production at a federally inspected research facility and final commercialization at full‑scale production facility.
• Help team identify innovation that is treated as IP that can give Tyson a competitive edge in the industry.
• Analyze data to build product specification that is process capable.
• Present technical data or concepts to laypersons at their level of understanding.
• Compile cost analysis information and provide to product management.
• Ensure costing structure meets the financial expectations of projects.
• Work on cross‑functional teams across the organization for project completion that will ultimately help achieve growth and EBIT strategies.
• Travel to plant product facilities.
• Take on and complete special projects as needed.
• Develop culinary samples/prototypes of new products, modifying existing products, and optimizing existing products.

• BS, MS, or PhD in Food Science, Meat Science, Food Engineering, or related field.
• PhD or M.S with no experience.
• B.S. with minimum of 1 year of relevant experience.
• No degree with minimum of 8 years of relevant experience.

• BS, MS, or PhD in Food Science, Meat Science, Food Engineering, or related field.
• PhD with no experience.
• M.S. with minimum of 2 years of relevant experience.
• B.S. with minimum of 3 years of relevant experience.
• No degree with minimum of 8 years of relevant experience.

• Requires good computer skills with ability to fully utilize MS Office products and Tyson systems (or similar systems).

• Good verbal and written communication skills required.
• Presentation skills required.
• Must have the ability to effectively communicate with cross‑functional business partners.

• Strong critical thinking, analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Strong numerical skills.
• Understanding of product formulation, food processing and the Research and Development process.
• Understanding of regulatory labeling and food safety requirements.

May supervise a team of hourly technicians that support a team of scientists.

• 25% – 12+ domestic trips per year.
• Travel required to accomplish internal and external customer needs, including customer meetings, plant production facilities for testing and commercialization of new products, process troubleshooting, and any other regular business.