R&D Food Scientist
NPIC
Plano, TX
Full-time
Science
Posted on November 17, 2021
Summary/Objective- Responsible for the development of our nutrition platform and implementation of new products and/or technologies or the improvement of existing products and/or technologies; prepares and coordinates projects according to established schedules and costs; ensures that the company standards of quality and regulatory requirements are met.
Essential Functions
- Design and develop new products from benchtop to commercialization while staying within specified parameters of technology, cost and label claims; verify nutritional profiles, and conduct product or packaging stability assessments to deliver against design.
- Leverage your scientific and regulatory expertise to enable business growth (innovation, acquisitions) by collaborating on solutions to address regulatory and policy risks in order to grow and expand our current and new pet treat categories, which will influence the new product pipeline and minimize regulatory barriers.
- Act as scientific, regulatory, technical, or quality expert and consultant by responding to targeted questions from the field or other departments/ operating units.
- Collaborate with external stakeholders to ensure a science-based perspective, developing scientific and regulatory enabling strategies, which create an environment for the pet treat industry that provides flexibility and standards for product expansion.
- Apply core technologies with new ingredient and product specifications and own formula entry into formula management system.
- Conduct technical research projects through all stages of experimentation (test protocol development, inter-departmental coordination, execution, and data generation & interpretation).
- Investigate, analyze, and execute new product/process improvement and cost savings opportunities.
- Access and utilize internal/external relationships to deliver science, technology and product innovation, and to support ingredient supply. Provide food science and pet treat technology support and consultancy to other departments within the organization.
- Manage documentation and records to ensure that they are complete, current, secure and easily retrievable. This may include designing, organizing or maintaining technical or regulatory records and reports.
- Identify, classify, maintain, and protect files, documentation and sensitive information consistent with record handling and retention requirements. Record data from analyses or experiments in a computer, logbook or laboratory notebook.
- Self-training to keep abreast of developing technologies, lifestyle & nutritional trends to maintain a competitive edge.
- Proactively share knowledge of risks and opportunities to build competitive advantage and improve efficiency and effectiveness of pipeline.
- Define opportunities and identify and prioritize projects based on allocated resources. Communicate decisions, priorities, and relevant project information to appropriate levels of staff regarding business unit requests, projects, and initiatives.
Technical Skills:
- Proprietary Composition Information: Ability to recognize and protect proprietary information as it relates to formulas and ingredients.
- Intellectual Property: Knowledge of securing intellectual property rights through patents, negotiations with technology owners, and securing confidential agreements.
- Project Management: Knowledge of project management principles and the ability to apply the principles, tools and techniques to develop/plan, manage or execute projects or workplans to ensure successful completion (e.g. on time, within budget).
- Building Technical Relationships: Proactively builds relationships and collaborates with cross-functional partners to achieve goals. Ability to apply technical knowledge and establish credibility in order to build technical relationships that will benefit the Company.
- Endurance & flexibility: Willingness and ability to occasionally function effectively over extended periods of time.
- Communication: Effectively uses technical and business expertise to explain difficult concepts to technical and non-technical audiences, tailoring communications to meet diverse needs.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Competencies
- Experience in a food manufacturing or processing environment required.
- Masters degree in Food Science, Chemistry or related field with 3-5 years minimum experience in the pet industry preferred.
- Proven technical competency and credibility.
- Lateral thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Proven end-to-end implementation capabilities.
- Must have general understanding of food codes and regulatory guidelines and the ability to research regulatory guidelines and the ability to research regulatory matters as needed.
- Must possess a basic understanding and knowledge of ingredient interactions.
- Must have basic knowledge in one or more technical disciplines.
- Must possess organization, project management and effective written and verbal communication skills are required.
- Must have knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
- Must have knowledge of lab and processing equipment.