Bakery Scientist

Kemin•Des Moines, IA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Kemin Food Technologies is searching for an experienced Bakery Scientist. The R&D Bakery Scientist is responsible for developing, optimizing, and validating bakery formulations utilizing enzymes, dough conditioners, mold inhibitors, and other functional ingredients. This role serves as the technical expert within Kemin Food Technologies’ bakery innovation platform and focuses on transforming scientific knowledge into commercially viable customer solutions. The Bakery Scientist will lead formulation development, ingredient evaluation, experimental design, and bakery application research while partnering closely with Commercial, Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, and Technical Service teams. This individual must possess both a deep understanding of ingredient functionality and hands-on bakery experience to identify and solve customer challenges in breads, tortillas, flatbreads, snacks, cakes, and related applications.

Requirements

Master's degree in Food Science, Bakery Science, Grain Science, Food Technology, Food Biotechnology or related scientific discipline.
5+ years of bakery formulation, ingredient development, or bakery R&D experience with bakery ingredients or CPG companies.
Strong understanding of bakery ingredient functionality and formulation principles.
Experience with breads, tortillas, flatbreads, cakes, sweet goods, or snack applications.
Demonstrated ability to design experiments and analyze results.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work both independently and within cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

PhD in Food Science, Bakery Science, Food Biochemistry, or related discipline.
Experience with enzyme technologies and enzyme-blend development.
Customer-facing technical support experience.
Statistical analysis and experimental design expertise.

Responsibilities

Lead research and development projects focused on bakery applications and ingredient functionality.
Develop, optimize, and validate bakery formulations utilizing enzymes, dough conditioners, mold inhibitors, softeners, emulsifiers, and other specialty ingredients.
Design and execute laboratory experiments, pilot trials, and production-scale validations.
Evaluate ingredient interactions and determine the impact of formulations on shelf life, texture, volume, machinability, softness, and quality.
Analyze experimental data and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
Manage bakery lab equipment, materials inventory, and related documentation to ensure an organized, safe, and efficient laboratory environment.
Stay current on emerging bakery technologies, ingredient trends, consumer demands, and scientific advancements.
Collaborate with Technical Service and Commercial teams to develop solutions for customer challenges.
Provide technical support for customer presentations, demonstrations, and commercialization activities.
Prepare technical reports, presentations, application guides, and research documentation.
Support new product launches and commercialization efforts from concept through market introduction.
Work closely with Regulatory, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to ensure successful implementation of new technologies.

Benefits

Competitive salary
Uncapped bonus opportunities
401k match program
Generous paid vacation and holidays
Fitness reimbursement for the whole family
Access to an on-site fitness center
A restaurant offering seasonal fresh food options
Free fresh fruit in break areas
Opportunities for growth and development throughout your entire career
In-house learning platforms, offering thousands of training resources both live and online
Tuition reimbursement for external post-secondary pursuits
Paid time off for service
Partnerships with The World Food Programme and Habitat for Humanity
Local community initiatives