Senior Food Scientist - Grand Rapids MI Job Listing at Kelly Services in Grand Rapids, MI (Job ID 9432547)

Description

Senior Food Scientist – Grand Rapids MI

Kelly® Science & Clinical is currently recruiting for two qualified, permanent Senior Food Scientists for the Research and Development team for one of our clients in the Grand Rapids, MI area. If you are passionate about bringing the latest scientific discoveries to life and are ready to take the next step in your career, trust The Experts at Hiring Experts.

Salary/Pay Rate/Compensation:
$100 - 120K/yr – this company offers a comprehensive and attractive benefits package.

Schedule:  M-F, 8AM – 5PMEST – local candidates as well as open as relocation assistance possibly an option.

Summary:
In this role, you will play a crucial role in the creation, enhancement, and optimization of food products. You will lead research initiatives, drive innovation, and collaborate with cross-functional teams and customers to develop market-leading food solutions. This role requires a deep understanding of food science principles, extensive experience in product development, and a passion for helping our customers grow their brands through high-quality, safe, and delicious food products.

Responsibilities:

• Research and Innovation:
  • Lead research efforts to identify emerging food trends, ingredients, and technologies.
  • Drive innovation by conceptualizing and developing new product ideas aligned with consumer preferences and market demands.
  • Recommend and advocate new product concepts to take to the next level of product development.
• Product Development:
  • Oversee all aspects of product development from concept to commercialization.
  • Develop prototypes, conduct sensory evaluations, and refine formulations to meet desired taste, texture, nutritional, and regulatory requirements.
  • Translate concepts into manufacturing friendly products.
  • Conduct pilot plant and production line trials.
  • Provide production start-up support.
  • Conduct shelf-life testing and sensory evaluations.
• Recipe Formulation:
  • Develop and optimize product formulations, considering factors such as ingredient functionality, cost, shelf-life stability, and production scalability.
  • Utilize scientific principles to achieve desired product attributes and ensure consistency across batches.
• Ingredient Sourcing and Evaluation:
  • Identify and evaluate raw materials and ingredients for use in product formulations.
  • Collaborate with procurement and suppliers to source high quality ingredients that meet quality, safety, and sustainability standards.
  • Initiate alternate ingredient evaluations.
• Process Optimization:
  • Optimize manufacturing processes to improve product quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
  • Collaborate with operations teams to scale up production processes and troubleshoot any issues that arise during manufacturing.
• Regulatory Compliance:
  • Stay abreast of food safety regulations and ensure product compliance with relevant food laws and standards.
  • Work closely with regulatory affairs teams to navigate regulatory requirements and obtain necessary approvals for product launches.
• Cross-functional Collaboration:
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including marketing, sales, quality assurance, and supply chain to align product development initiatives with business objectives.
  • Communicate effectively and coordinate activities to ensure successful project execution.  
• Project Management:
  • Manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks and deadlines effectively.
  • Develop project timelines, track progress, and proactively address any challenges to ensure timely delivery of project milestones.
• Technical Expertise:
  • Serve as a subject matter expert in food science and product development.
  • Stay updated on industry advancements, scientific research, and technological innovations to drive continuous improvement and innovation in product development processes.
• Team Leadership and Mentorship:
  • Provide guidance, mentorship, and technical support to junior team members.
  • Help foster a collaborative and innovative work environment, encouraging knowledge sharing and professional development within the R&D team.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in food product development, preferably in a consumer-packaged goods (CPG), food manufacturing environment, an R&D setting.
• Experience with food product categories strongly preferred, including snacks, confections, frozen breakfast/ meals, cereal, granola, or related product adjacencies.
• Strong understanding of food chemistry, microbiology, sensory evaluation, and food processing principles.
• Proficiency in recipe formulation, ingredient functionality, and product optimization.
• Experience with food regulations, food safety standards, and quality assurance protocols.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities.
• Creative problem-solving skills and a passion for innovation in the food industry.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully lead multiple complex development project simultaneously
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
• Ability to collaborate and interact with all levels and functional areas (internally and with customers).
• Knowledgeable in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

For more information or to be considered, please contact me directly at Tierra.Barbour@kellyscientific.com or at 804-991-0745.

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As part of our promise to talent, Kelly supports those who work with us through a variety of benefits, perks, and work-related resources. Kelly offers eligible employees voluntary benefit plans including medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, term life, whole life, accident insurance, critical illness, a legal plan, and short-term disability. As a Kelly employee, you will have access to a retirement savings plan, service bonus and holiday pay plans (earn up to eight paid holidays per benefit year), and a transit spending account. In addition, employees are entitled to earn paid sick leave under the applicable state or local plan. Click here for more information on benefits and perks that may be available to you as a member of the Kelly Talent Community.

Why Kelly® Science & Clinical?

Kelly Science & Clinical is your connection to premier scientific and clinical companies looking to hire industry experts just like you. Our team creates expert talent solutions to solve the world's most critical challenges. Every day, we match science professionals with dream jobs that fit their skills, interests, and career goals—it's the way we think job searching should be. Nearly 100 percent of our science recruiters have a professional background and education in science, so we know a thing or two about the science market and how to get your expertise noticed.

About Kelly

Work changes everything. And at Kelly, we're obsessed with where it can take you. To us, it's about more than simply accepting your next job opportunity. It's the fuel that powers every next step of your life. It's the ripple effect that changes and improves everything for your family, your community, and the world. Which is why, here at Kelly, we are dedicated to providing you with limitless opportunities to enrich your life—just ask the 300,000 people we employ each year.

Kelly Services is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We welcome, value, and embrace diversity at all levels and are committed to building a team that is inclusive of a variety of backgrounds, communities, perspectives, and abilities. At Kelly, we believe that the more inclusive we are, the better services we can provide. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to Kelly's Human Resource Knowledge Center. Kelly complies with the requirements of California's state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment.

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