Senior Food Scientist - Grand Rapids, United States - Roskam Foods

Description

Roskam Foods

Position Title: Sr Food Scientist

Reports to: Director of R&D

**RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PROVIDED, IF NEEDED**

About Us

Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Roskam Foods is a leading, scaled, and rapidly growing contract manufacturing partner for world-renowned food brands. We currently operate 8 manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Canada where we produce a wide array of frozen and ready-to-eat breakfast products, snacks, frozen meals, confections, and custom dry blends. At Roskam Foods, we believe in the power of purpose-driven leadership to generate value for all. And we're on a mission to optimize the potential of our people and the brands we serve. We rely on the exceptional leadership, talent, and passion of over 2,400 team members to fuel our growth and "multiply possibilities" for each of our stakeholders.

Position Description and Purpose

Our growth has created an opening for a new Senior Food Scientist on the Research and Development (R&D) team. 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. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who shares our passion for "multiplying possibilities" and wants to be part of a winning team

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• 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.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• 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) or food manufacturing environment.
• Experience with Roskam Foods' product categories 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.
• Excellent project management, communication, and leadership skills.
• 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.

Roskam Foods offers a competitive compensation package including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, and a 401K plan with company match.

AAP/EEO Statement: Roskam Foods is a recognized veteran friendly and equal opportunity employer.