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Food Safety Scientist, Senior Managing Scientist (Ph.D. or M.S.)

Exponent
Washington, United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 28 May 2026
💰 $213,000/yr($174,000/yr$213,000/yr)

About the role

About Exponent

Exponent is the only premium engineering and scientific consulting firm with the depth and breadth of expertise to solve our clients’ most profoundly unique, unprecedented, and urgent challenges.  

 

Our vision is to engage multidisciplinary teams of science, engineering, and regulatory experts to empower clients with solutions that create a safer, healthier, more sustainable world. For over five decades, we've connected the lessons of past failures with tomorrow's solutions to advise clients as they innovate technologically complex products and processes, ensure the safety and health of their users, and address the challenges of sustainability.  

 

Join our team of experts with degrees from top programs at over 500 universities and extensive experience spanning a variety of industries. At Exponent, you’ll contribute to the diverse pool of ideas, talents, backgrounds, and experiences that drives our collaborative teamwork and breakthrough insights. Plus, we help you grow your career through mentoring, sponsorship, and a culture of learning. Thanks for your interest in joining our team!   

 

Key statistics: 

  • 950+ Consultants 
  • 640+ Ph.D.s 
  • 90+ Disciplines 
  • 30+ Offices globally 

Our Opportunity

We are currently seeking a Food Safety Scientist for a Senior Managing Scientist position in our Chemical Regulation and Food Safety Practice in Washington, DC (other locations will be considered). In this role you will work as part of a team that is focused on assisting clients to ensure food safety across the entire food production, processing, distribution, and retail/food service continuum. You will use your training, experience and skills to assist our clients with (1) pre- and post- market analysis of chemical, biological, and physical hazards and food safety preventive controls for supply chains, food ingredients, processing procedures, and the production environment, (2) regulatory compliance and industry best practices for food, beverages, and nutritional products, (3) root-cause analyses of product specification excursions, contamination or failures, and (4) outbreak investigations, including epidemiology, traceability and traceback, and laboratory analysis. Our client base spans industry, trade associations, regulatory and litigation attorneys, and insurance companies, which request our assistance on a broad spectrum of issues.

You will be responsible for

  • Providing technical expertise to our clients related to food manufacturing as well as food safety risk assessment and risk management associated with regulatory compliance and industry best practices
  • Identifying new clients through business development and marketing efforts
  • Producing technical reports and presentations
  • Preparing proposals and managing budgets, timelines, deliverables, client expectations, and receivables
  • Mentoring junior staff

You will have the following skills and qualifications

  • Ph.D. or M.S. degree with a concentration in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Microbiology, Agriculture, Engineering, or related sciences
  • 10 or more years of relevant experience in industry, trade associations, academia, government, or consulting
  • Extensive knowledge of food ingredients, processing, supply chain management, distribution, and retail/food service and related regulatory practices
  • Proven ability or potential to build an existing personal consulting practice comprised of a substantial client base
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Ability to manage multiple assignments under rigid time constraints
  • Ability to manage client projects independently
  • Ability to manage and participate effectively in team projects

 

Applicants are encouraged to submit a CV (Curriculum Vitae) with publications (feel free to include publications that are in review or pending) [not restricted to 1 page].

Life @ Exponent

To learn more about life at Exponent and our impact, please visit the following links:https://www.exponent.com/careers/life-exponenthttps://www.exponent.com/company/our-impact

 

We value and encourage diversity, equity and inclusion across all facets of our firm. Having a team built of people with different backgrounds, skills and perspectives allows us to provide better value to our clients and enjoy an enriched work environment.

 

Our firm is committed to offering a variety of programs and resources to support health and well-being. We believe that providing competitive benefits, as well as compensation and recognition programs, empowers our staff to do work that makes a difference.

Work Environment

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Company

Exponent

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