Associate NPD Specialist

Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream•Bakersfield, CA

2d•$58,240 - $62,400

About The Position

This role is an entry-level role into the New Product Development (NPD) position. The incumbent is expected to participate in new product development for innovation and renovation projects in support of the ice cream business and gain the skills and confidence to lead simpler projects under supervision. The role provides a technical and project management resource on project teams working on “Innovation & Renovation”, “Factory support”, “Quality improvement” and “Material sourcing” projects. By working and assisting on these types of projects the NPD Associate Scientist gains product & process knowledge to further their impact and build their professional skills to be able to lead simpler projects themselves. The incumbent ensures that all the products are developed and handed over effectively to run efficiently in the factories by running feasibility studies and technical trials before product launch.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food science, Dairy Science, Nutrition, Culinology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
Knowledge and understanding of ingredient functionality (eg. diary proteins, emulsifiers, stabilizers).
Knowledge of physio-chemical laboratory methods to define and test raw materials and finished products.
0 – 2 years of experience in food manufacturing, R&D, or product development (internships, co-ops, or lab projects acceptable).
Creative and analytical mindset—able to merge strategy with flawless execution.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to the manufacture of dairy products or frozen desserts a plus.

Responsibilities

Implementation of Innovation & Renovation projects under the supervision of Seniors/Mentors.
Actively participate and shadow seasoned team members to learn all aspects of product development and project management – including and not limited to: formulation, bench work, Pilot Plant and factory trials, raw material selection and specifications, finished product evaluation and testing. It also involves learning the administrative aspect of the role (material creation and onboarding, recipe management, regulatory compliance etc.) and requires a grasp of project management skills and tools and timeline management.
Product & process development activities, e.g. new product prototyping, bench top and pilot plant trial management.
Raw material and finished product testing.
Completion of costing analysis, preliminary manufacturing dossiers, trial and first-production technical and commercial sign-off documentation, quality specifications (CRQS) documents.
Assure accuracy and a timely hand-over of new product documentation (manufacturing dossier) to the factory team to allow for a successful industrialization.
Ensure that raw material and finished product specifications are complete and available and issued for hand over to the factory
Ensure process capability conducted during the industrialization stage in order to ensure accurate costing of the products
Support the first 3 production runs to ensure the product has been successfully integrated
Participate in continued improvement and optimization of current product and processes within factories according to local business needs and supply situation.
Ensure adherence to all regulatory, legal and company standards. Align with Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream requirements (includes nutritional and sustainability requirements.
Work closely with internal procurement teams, and technical to ensure all new materials don’t add additional complexity/risk and/or waste to the factory.
Continuous improvement of technical and interpersonal skills, while growing internal and external networks.
Work towards developing expertise for product/process mastership within NPD. Develop the proficiencies required to be able to support our factory operations.