Sr Principal Scientist, R&D Protein Chemist

Sr.Principal Scientist R&D Protein Chemist

Job Purpose

The Kraft Heinz Next Generation Ingredients R&D team isseekinga highly motivated and experienced applied Protein Chemist to join our team in Glenview IL.This role is central to our mission of developing innovative high-quality food products thatleveragethe functional and nutritional benefits of dairy and meat proteins.As a seniorresearchleader within our teamyou willuse your deep technicalexpertisein protein chemistry toinform product designoptimizeprocesses and provide strategic direction oningredient interactions ingredient/process interactions and strategy around protein ingredientsacross the Kraft Heinz portfolio.This role requires a strong technical background intellectual curiosity and excellent communication and collaboration skills. This isa great opportunityfor a technical expert that is looking to thrive in both the lab and businesssetting.

EssentialFunctions &Responsibilities

• Apply your knowledge of protein functionality (e.g. emulsification gelation water binding) to improve food texture stability and performance.

• Lead formulation and application work using dairy and meat proteins in products such as sauces snacksdesserts cheesedairy-based beverages and meat systems.Additionalexperience or ability to translateknowledgeto plant-based proteins is a plus.

• Partnerswith Product Development Process Engineering Nutrition Regulatory and Marketing teams to support product innovation from concept through commercialization.

• Evaluate new protein ingredients and technologies from suppliers and academic partners;identifyopportunities for joint research and technology scouting.

• Support scale-up and manufacturing by addressing protein-related processing challenges.

• Develop andmaintaina deep understanding of the protein ingredient landscape including emerging technologies (e.g. enzymatic modification fermentation-derived proteins hybrid protein systems).

• Design and execute experiments to generate data on protein behavior under various processing and storage conditions.

• Maintain detailed documentation of experimental protocols and results.

• Prepare and file Invention Disclosure Forms (IDFs) to document novel technologies and support patent filings; conduct patent landscape analyses to assess freedom-to-operate competitive activity and whitespace opportunities and translate findings into actionable R&D and innovation strategy

• Stay current on protein science food regulations and consumer trends to inform application strategiesandmaintainrelevant external network

Expected Experience& Required Skills

• Bachelorswithminimum8 yearsrelevantindustry experienceORMasters withminimum7 yearsrelevantindustryexperienceORPhD withminimum6 years of relevant industry experience in applied protein chemistry or food formulation with a focus on dairy and/or meat proteins.Degreein Food Science Biochemistry Dairy/Meat Science or a related fieldis highly preferred.

• Fundamental understanding of proteinstructurefrom theprimaryamino acidsequencethroughsecondarytertiary and quaternarystructures.

• Strong understanding of how proteins behave in real food systems and during processing.

• Deepexpertiseinproteincharacterizationandprotein-based ingredient interactions including protein-protein interactions protein-carbohydrate interactions and protein-lipid interactions and the analyticaland modeling approaches used to study them.

• Experience withadjacentingredient fundamentals and their interaction specifically to proteins dairy and non-dairy and/or enzymes.

• Stronggraspof food industry trends consumer preferences and regulatory requirements.

• Experience with pilot plant trials ingredient functionality testing and cross-functional product development.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to translate science into practical solutions.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skillsincludingthe ability to work effectively with cross-functional teamsand engage non-technical audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage complexitynavigateambiguity and think creatively.

• Possess excellent industry external ecosystemwith experienceestablishingand leading collaborative research with outside partners.

Work Environment

This positionoperatesprimarily in a hybrid work environment and is based at the Kraft Heinz R&D Innovation Center in Glenview IL. Our hybrid model provides flexibility based on business needs allowing employees to work virtually up to two days per week with an expectation to work on-site at least three days per week at the Glenview Innovation Center.

Physical Requirements

Physicaldemandsinclude butare notlimited to:

• Work is performed in an R&D Innovation Center laboratory with occasional pilot plant exposure.

• Ability to lift carry push or pull materials and equipment up to 50lbs(e.g. ingredient containers lab apparatus sample boxes).

• Frequent use of hands for fine motor tasks such as measuring weighing labeling and operating laboratory instruments.

• Frequent repetitive motion including handling tools containers and data entry.

• Occasional bending crouching or stooping to access low storage equipment or sample placement.

• Must be able to wear andutilizerequired Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including lab coats gloves hairnets safety glasses and hearing protection where applicable.

This job description is not designed to cover orcontainall duties or responsibilities that are requiredofthe role. Duties or responsibilities may change or be added with or without notice.