Associate Scientist

fairlife•Chicago, IL

7d•$60,000 - $80,000•Onsite

About The Position

fairlife, LLC is seeking an independent and driven Associate Scientist to join its R&D team as a Method Developer and Project Owner. This role involves owning experiments and scientific decision-making, driving specific workstreams from end to end, developing research plans, and validating physical and chemical mechanisms. The work is primarily hands-on benchtop laboratory work, with pilot plant support as needed. The Associate Scientist applies scientific judgment to turn data into actionable, contextualized business insights. The role includes developing and optimizing analytical methods, writing and implementing SOPs, troubleshooting technical and product-quality issues, and communicating findings to cross-functional stakeholders. It also involves technical knowledge transfer and peer coaching across R&D, Quality, and manufacturing networks. The position is located in Chicago, Illinois, reports to the Senior Director, Process Science & Technology, and requires 15–30% travel. The stated base pay range is $60,000–$80,000 USD.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, or a closely related scientific field.
1–3 years of laboratory experience in food, beverage, or fluid dairy R&D or manufacturing environments.
Experience in method development, protocol optimization, and authoring technical SOPs.
Hands-on proficiency with analytical laboratory instrumentation, such as rheology, physical chemistry testing, or compositional analysis.
Ability to apply independent scientific judgment to advance projects from data collection to mechanistic understanding.
Strong communication and collaboration skills, including experience clearly sharing data with cross-functional partners such as plant operations and quality teams.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience supporting pilot plant operations or commercial scale-up trials.
Strong foundational knowledge of dairy, physical chemistry, protein stability, or fluid milk matrix interactions.
Experience training plant floor operators or QA technicians on newly implemented laboratory methods.

Responsibilities

Design, set up, and execute scientific experiments aligned with broader project goals and scientific rigor.
Adapt analytical methods, optimize testing protocols, and validate new analytical approaches.
Write, establish, and implement new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Participate in cross-functional root cause analysis to investigate and resolve technical and product-quality issues.
Use independent scientific judgment to troubleshoot analytical and process deviations.
Translate complex scientific data into clear, actionable insights for cross-functional stakeholders, including QA, Supply Chain, Plant Operations, Marketing, and Consumer Insights.
Communicate technical findings with business context and explain the significance behind results.
Lead technical knowledge transfers across R&D and manufacturing networks.
Provide peer coaching, technical guidance, and mentorship to junior technicians in R&D and Quality.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage effective day one.
Supplemental health plans, including hospital indemnity, accident, and critical illness insurance.
Paid Time Off.
Paid parental leave and adoption assistance up to $10,000.
Parental support and family care benefits, including childcare resources and lactation support.
401(k) with up to 9% employer match.
Wellness reimbursement up to $500 for qualified wellbeing expenses.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability.
Employer HSA funding for HDHP participants.
Tuition reimbursement up to $10,000 and student loan repayment of $200 per month.
Learning and development programs.
Rewards and recognition, matching gifts, free product, and Business Resource Groups.