Food Chemist: R&D Innovator for Flavor & Quality

Client Overview: Our client operates within a dynamic, fast-paced, and highly innovative segment of the food industry. Their portfolio spans a wide range of beloved food products enjoyed by consumers across North America. They are committed to excellence in product development, quality, and consumer satisfaction, and they thrive on a culture of creativity and continuous improvement. They are currently looking to add a Food Chemist to their team. Salary/Hourly Rate: $28/hr - $32/hr Position Overview: As a Food Chemist on the Food R&D team, you will support research and development activities across a broad program, including innovation, renovation, quality improvement, and margin enhancement. You will work as part of a cross-functional project team to deliver brand and business objectives in a collaborative, consumer-focused environment. The Food Chemist will be working on site 5 days/week. Responsibilities of the Food Chemist: The Food Chemist will execute agreed R&D activities to deliver the brand's program, spanning innovation, renovation, quality improvement, and margin enhancement. Work as a member of a cross-functional project team to deliver projects on time and in full. Independently design products against product briefs and design/execute test protocols for various technical aspects of projects (e.g., prototype development and scale-up, shelf-life testing, analytical testing). Lead the process of specification and label creation from request to approved status; serve as the material expert and lead creation of new specifications for new ingredients. Actively participate in and/or represent R&D in Supply Chain and Marketing meetings. Assess the feasibility of new ideas and troubleshoot activities where formulation knowledge is essential. Support technical investigations through root cause analysis and problem-solving techniques for both existing and new products. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with R&D, Supply Chain, and Marketing teams, as well as customers and key stakeholders. Required Experience/Skills for the Food Chemist: 2 - 5 years of experience in the food industry, preferably in product development. Ability to independently execute tasks and projects of low-to-moderate complexity. Working knowledge of ingredients, formulation, process, and product design principles. Working knowledge of specification creation, approval, and costing. Ability to analyze and interpret data with guidance on final conclusions. Working knowledge of experimental design, root-cause analysis, and problem-solving techniques. Strong verbal and written communication skills. Ability to construct trial/lab reports and presentations, including recommendations. Ability to present information to both technical and non-technical audiences. Preferred Experience/Skills for the Food Chemist: A deep passion for product design and creative product development. The Food Chemist needs experience or a comfort level working in a fast-paced, cross-functional, and multicultural environment. Ability to develop, plan, conduct, and coordinate prototype development initiatives across multiple projects and tasks. Good understanding of Supply Chain operations. Comfort with multitasking and managing competing priorities. Experience with culinary and product trends and consumer insights to inform product development. Education Requirements: Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a closely related discipline is required. Advanced degrees (M.S. or Ph.D.) in a relevant field are a plus but not required. Equivalent practical experience in the food industry may be considered in lieu of a formal degree for the Food Chemist. Benefits: Atrium Care Package available, upon eligibility (including healthcare plans, discount programs, and paid time off). #J-18808-Ljbffr Atrium Staffing