Assoc Sci, R&D - Product Development

Job Description

Associate Scientist – Next Generation Ingredients 

This is a Research and Development (R&D) role within our Next Generation Ingredients organization on the Global Sweetener & Salt – Science & Technology team working from the Glenview, IL Kraft Heinz Innovation Center. This position offers you an excellent opportunity to support innovative and disruptive ingredient research while creating competitive advantage across the global Kraft Heinz portfolio. You will lead and support the development of prototypes, validate technology in model systems and applications, support and conduct technology scale up trials, conduct sample analysis, and support processes to commercialize technologies. This includes understanding of the business need, designing and performing tests, analyzing data, drawing conclusions, documenting, and communicating results to both technical and non-technical audiences. Proven communication and collaboration skills are critical in this role. 

For this role, you must have a technical background, problem solving and project management skills. Technical background should include general food science and ingredient know-how. Experience with flavor, taste, sweetener ingredient technologies, and sodium reduction is preferred. This position requires an individual to manage assignments/tasks with a high degree of autonomy. Intellectual curiosity, ability to deal with ambiguity, and collaboration are a must. 

What's on the menu? 

• Support and implement research across a variety of product applications, then summarize and translate results clearly for technical and non-technical teams 

• Adapt and apply scientific principles to new situations/products with some degree of autonomy 

• Proof of concept formulation and product development across multiple categories 

• Design, support, and complete benchtop and/or pilot plant trials, and communicate results clearly to technical and non-technical teams 

• Connecting and directing communication with suppliers to acquire necessary materials for research 

• Complete internal research projects with some degree of supervision, coaching, training, but will also demonstrate ability to work independently and take initiative to consult with other scientists 

• Work with cross functional teams to support projects from concept to commercialization, including Marketing, Operations, Quality, External Manufacturers, and Procurement 

• Helping to maintain a clean and functional laboratory space 

• Sample preparation and sample analysis 

• Participating in and embracing all aspects of ingredient technology development including the fuzzy front end, conceptualization, design, development, and commercialization 

Recipe for Success - apply now if this sounds like you! 

• B.S. degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or related fields with minimum of 2 years of relevant experience  

• Ingredient and food matrix/model system know-how 

• Experience with flavor, taste, sweetener ingredient technologies, sodium reduction and applications is preferred 

• Familiarity and understanding of Design of Experiments, laboratory experimentation, laboratory equipment, scale up, and mathematical/data analysis skills 

• Demonstrated record of conducting research development projects either individuall