Food Scientist

About the Role

The Food Scientist plays a key role within Research & Development by developing formulating testing and optimizing innovative food beverage nutraceutical and dietary supplement products. This position is heavily focused on formulation development taking products from concept through commercialization while improving taste texture functionality stability manufacturability and overall product performance.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience creating new formulations troubleshooting formulation challenges conducting bench-scale development and scaling products into manufacturing. Success in this role requires creativity strong scientific fundamentals and the ability to translate customer concepts into commercially viable products within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and formulate innovative food beverage nutraceutical and dietary supplement products from concept through commercialization.
• Create and optimize formulations by balancing functionality flavor texture stability nutrition processing requirements and cost.
• Conduct bench-scale laboratory experiments to evaluate formulation performance manufacturability shelf life and overall product quality.
• Improve existing formulations by troubleshooting stability processing ingredient interactions texture flavor viscosity separation and other product performance issues.
• Formulate liquid powder suspension emulsion concentrate and other food and beverage systems depending on customer and manufacturing requirements.
• Perform analytical and physical testing including pH Brix viscosity density water activity appearance flavor aroma texture color and other organoleptic evaluations.
• Develop manufacturing procedures batch sheets processing instructions and scale-up documentation for commercial production.
• Design and manage accelerated and real-time shelf-life and stability studies.
• Research and evaluate new ingredients functional additives sweeteners proteins flavors stabilizers hydrocolloids preservatives and processing technologies.
• Work closely with Quality Operations Purchasing Manufacturing Regulatory and Supply Chain teams throughout product development.
• Support pilot production process validation commercialization and continuous product improvement initiatives.
• Maintain detailed formulation records laboratory notebooks specifications and technical documentation.
• Ensure all R&D activities comply with FDA regulations cGMPs HACCP principles food safety requirements and internal quality systems.
• Stay current on ingredient innovations consumer trends formulation technologies and emerging food science research.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Food Science Food Technology Chemistry Biochemistry Chemical Engineering Nutrition or another related scientific discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of Research & Development experience within food beverage nutraceutical dietary supplement ingredient or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Extensive experience developing and optimizing commercial food or beverage formulations.
• Strong understanding of formulation science ingredient functionality food chemistry preservation systems emulsions hydrocolloids proteins sweeteners flavors stabilizers and shelf-life science.
• Experience taking products from bench-top development through pilot production and commercial manufacturing.
• Experience troubleshooting formulation processing and manufacturing challenges.
• Knowledge of FDA regulations cGMPs HACCP SQF FSMA and food safety requirements.
• Experience conducting analytical and physical product testing and interpreting laboratory data.
• Ability to evaluate ingredient specifications Certificates of Analysis (COAs) and technical documentation.
• Strong analytical thinking project management documentation and cross-functional communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office ERP systems formulation databases and laboratory documentation systems.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in contract manufacturing (co-manufacturing) or private label food manufacturing.
• Experience developing beverages functional foods protein products nutritional products sauces dressings emulsions or other shelf-stable food products.
• Familiarity with pilot plant operations process optimization and manufacturing scale-up.
• Knowledge of food labeling ingredient regulations nutritional compliance and commercialization requirements.
• Experience using formulation software AI tools scientific databases or statistical analysis software to support product development.
• Lean Six Sigma HACCP Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) or other food industry certifications are a plus.