Product Development Scientist

Product Development Scientist

This position will support the Global Technical Services (GTS) team, including product development, quality assurance, and compliance. He/she will report to the Product Development Director. Responsibilities include formulating, testing, and commercializing new product innovations, cost reduction projects, and quality improvements. The PD Scientist will manage technical aspects of projects and work with a cross functional team.

This position will support the successful development, launch, and ongoing quality of all SAMBAZON products. The PD Scientist will have key responsibilities and work closely with product development, quality assurance, compliance and co-manufacturing, in addition to marketing, innovation, sourcing/procurement, and production planning. This position will manage all technical documentation for finished products and formulas. Additionally, the PD Scientist will support maintenance of the lab facility, raw material and finished product samples, shelf life, and sensory evaluation.

This roles offers an annual bonus opportunity, generous benefits package and year-round half-day Fridays!

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Product development bench-top lab work & record keeping – developing formulas within defined guardrails for cost, nutrition, taste, weighing ingredients, basic lab analysis (pH, brix, etc.), sensory evaluation, and reporting results.
2. Plan and support manufacturing trials to test and commercialize products. Work with procurement team on ordering and tracking ingredients for trials, communicate formulas to internal and external teams for trials.
3. Inputting formulas in nutritional software for products across all channels.
4. Maintain sample FIFO on finished product retains & raw ingredients. Keep samples organized & dispose of expired samples unless the lot is being used for shelf-life testing.
5. Manage shelf-life testing of finished products – send samples to labs, run sensory analysis, write reports.
6. Organize & update technical documents for raw materials & finished products, including product specifications, manufacturing procedures, nutritional information. Input data into Filemaker database.
7. Create and manage technical documents for finished products and formulas. This includes product specifications, manufacturing procedures, nutritional information and SOP's.
8. Evaluate new raw materials including, sensory analysis, performance in finished products, specification reviews. Assist with material set up after approval.
9. Lead and participate in sensory evaluation & analysis of new and existing products; including documenting outcomes and recommending next steps.
10. Support lab maintenance – schedule equipment calibration & maintenance when needed, monitor temperatures of refrigerators & freezers daily, order lab materials and supplies when needed. Work with the team to keep lab work and storage spaces clean and organized.
11. Develop strong relationships with internal and external partners, customers, suppliers, and co-manufacturers to develop and implement solutions.
12. Manage technical aspects of projects to deliver results on time.
13. Support restaurant group, innovation team, sales and/or marketing with any tastings or samples for photoshoot opportunities as well as nutritional analysis.

Education & Experience

• B.S. degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Nutrition, or similar science-based discipline.
• 3-6 years of related work experience.

Key Functional Skills/Knowledge

• Ability to manage multiple projects, daily tasks & work independently
• Ability to interact with others on GTS team & cross functionally within organization to find answers & solve problems.
• Ability to communicate clearly, both written and verbal, with cross functional team members as well as vendors and manufacturers.
• An understanding of the principles of intellectual property.
• Intellectually curious to find and develop opportunities and solutions.
• Highly creative technical development and/or problem solving skills, resourceful.
• Demonstrated excellence at building relationships, collaboration, and working cross-functionally.
• Self-directed, high energy, with high attention to detail.
• Comfortable working with change and ambiguity.
• Strong working knowledge of food science, health and nutrition, food manufacturing processes, quality assurance principles, basic laboratory procedures and analyses, ingredient supply market and market research practices.
• Familiarity with regulatory compliance requirements, quality systems, and technical documentation.
• Basic math skills: multiplying, dividing, adding, subtracting, algebra, percentages.
• Ability to work in MS Office programs – Excel, Word, etc. Experience with Filemaker and Genesis (Esha) is a plus.
• Travel up to 20% as needed, including visits to co-manufacturer plants.