Senior Scientist, R&D - Product Development

Job Description

Sr Scientist, R&D – Product Development

This is a technical leadership role providing direction for and execution of projects across one or more of our US businesses. The candidate will be identifying, scoping and driving technical projects to meet business initiatives. The candidate should have a proven record of executing work plans and driving for results. This includes understanding business needs, designing and executing tests, analyzing data, drawing conclusions, documenting, communicating results, and commercializing products.

Proven communication and teamwork skills are essential in this role, which operates in a cross-functional environment. The candidate must also have a strong technical background and be able to apply prior learning or scientific principles to new situations. This position requires an individual to manage multiple assignments/tasks concurrently and demonstrate the ability to complete work with minimal guidance. Exhibiting a collaborative mindset and applying innovative solutions are a must.

• Responsible for ideating, developing, and commercializing new products, renovating existing products, and delivering cost savings.
• The candidate will be scoping and/or developing highly technical and complex project plans to meet the business’ platform and innovation objectives over planning horizons ranging from months to quarters.
• Assess potential food safety or quality risk associated with product development briefs, proposed manufacturing processes and/or equipment utilization.
• Recommend mitigation strategies to ensure compliance with safety standards, quality expectations, and government regulations.
• Evaluate the financial objectives of product development initiatives, such as COGS (VIC/VLC) targets, project budgets, expenditures, research and development appropriations, or return‑on‑investment and profit‑loss projections.
• Opportunities may exist to lead and mentor junior developers on projects.
• Support graphics and label development and provide technical approval.
• Evaluate quality of materials or products. Test quality of materials or finished products including shelf‑life assessment.
• Establish standards for products, processes, or procedures.
• Develop specifications for new products or processes.
• Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
• Stay current on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
• Manage multiple assignments/tasks concurrently and demonstrate the ability to complete work with minimal guidance.
• Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development.
• Ability to scale up products from bench top to full line commercialization at the factory level.
• Interact cross functionally across the organization and influence others to drive projects to completion.
• Create project status presentations for delivery to customers, project personnel, or executive leadership.

• BS/MS in Food, Dairy, Meat, Animal Science, Packaging, or Chemical Engineering.
• Minimum 5 years in a technical function (including graduate or internship work).
• Culinary experience desired.
• Solid understanding of food chemistry, analytical testing, formulations and processing used in food manufacturing.
• Prior experience working with sauces, condiments, and shelf‑stable products preferred.
• Understanding of ingredient functionality and interactions with process and packaging.
• Excellent communication, influencing, project management and problem‑solving skills.
• Independently manage and prioritize concurrent work assignments.
• Strong understanding of Design of Experiments, statistical process control, data interpretation.
• Willingness to travel 30‑40 %.

Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz’ strategy and values.

$89,800.00 – $

This position is eligible for a…