Associate Scientist - Product Development
About The Position
In every role, McCainers are ambitious, curious, and passionate about creating exceptional work experiences - together. With a customer-first mindset, we make doing business with McCain easy. Working within the North American appetizer product development team, and in partnership with the commercial teams, this role will be accountable for technical project management and project execution to contribute to the Global Snacking business growth. The Associate Scientist - Product Development , role provides technical leadership within project teams, across functions, and with stakeholders. This role is an excellent opportunity for a food scientist or food engineering professional early in their career who is passionate about food innovation and eager to gain hands-on experience in product development and commercialization.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field
- Basic knowledge of food formulation and product development processes
- Basic mathematical and statistical analysis skills
- Strong research and project coordination skills
- Highly organized and detail-oriented with excellent documentation practices
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to collaborate within a matrixed cross-functional organization
- Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities
- Strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities
- Creative mindset with curiosity for food innovation
Nice To Haves
- Experience in food product development, food science, or food manufacturing is considered an asset.
- Familiarity with Design of Experiments (DOE) is an asset
- Understanding of food manufacturing processes, equipment, and plant operations
Responsibilities
- Support the execution of new product development projects from concept through commercialization.
- Assist in developing and evaluating product formulations to meet quality, performance, and cost targets.
- Conduct product testing to evaluate taste, texture, shelf life, and product performance.
- Support plant trials and validate product scalability within manufacturing environments.
- Collect, analyze, and document data across product testing phases.
- Assist with project timeline development and milestone tracking.
- Support cross-functional project teams through testing updates, documentation, and technical insights.
- Present formulation results and testing outcomes to support project decision-making.
- Participate in project reviews and post-launch evaluations.
- Participate in concept ideation and innovation sessions for new appetizer products.
- Collaborate with commercial, operations, and R&D partners to bring new product ideas to market.
- Contribute to continuous improvement of product performance and development processes.
Benefits
- Employees are eligible for the following benefits: health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription drug), retirement savings benefits, and leave support including medical, family and bereavement.
- Well-being programs include vacation and holidays, company-supported volunteering time, and mental health resources.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
