Food Innovation Associate Scientist

Illes Foods • Carrollton, TX

76d

About The Position

Specializing in custom-crafted culinary solutions—from beverage bases and sauces to marinades and seasonings—ILLES Foods has partnered with food service chains, manufacturers, and retailers across the U.S. since 1927. Our Food Innovation expertise, creativity, and speed to market, combined with a laser focus on customer experience, make us a key partner in product development. As a family-owned, woman-run business, our growth is fueled by deeply held values: operating with integrity, maintaining intentional curiosity, and strong relationship building through the power of partnership. At ILLES Foods, we strive to be the ingredient that elevates food and enriches the lives of our partners, internal and external.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in food science or related discipline required
• Ability to identify opportunities for improvement and drive the opportunity to completion
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Comfortable working cross functionally and leading project teams
• Excellent organizational and communication (oral and written) skills, proficiency in speaking, comprehending, reading and writing English required
• Excellent mathematical skills and knowledge of, or ability to learn, statistical analysis required
• Computer literacy including competency with Microsoft Office and demonstrated ability to operate complex software programs required
• Working knowledge of government regulations and rules of certification bodies such as Kosher, Halal, Organic, and others as applicable to business
• Able to multitask, work alone with light supervision and in a team environment
• Enjoys working in laboratory and pilot plant

Responsibilities

• Leads product development projects (innovation, renovation, alternate materials) from concept to commercialization
• Experienced in working closely with external customers to achieve product development goals
• Provides leadership to the organization in the areas of food science and R&D
• Designs new products based on targeted flavor profile, texture, color, shelf life and nutritional content while maintaining adherence to government and industry standards
• Develop specifications for finished products with physical, chemical, and sensory properties
• Develops batching instructions for trial and operations
• Make and ship samples to customers
• Coordination of large sample runs and scale up in the plant
• Accurately weigh materials and blend them together to make products both liquid and dry
• Run the QA analytical equipment’s such as pH meter, refractive index, salt and acid titrators and maintain the lab equipment’s
• Generates and optimizes costs of formulations in collaboration with procurement and finance
• Leads pilot and commercial scale up trials and monitors a minimum of first three commercial productions
• Regularly collaborates with Operations and advises solutions for production issues
• Maintains information regarding ingredient specifications, formulas, processes and analytical data such as quality attributes, yield information, and sensory results
• Support logistics on the verification of ingredients in inventory for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value
• Collaborative and works well in a team environment, offering support and assistance when needed
• Highly motivated and able to work independently
• Effective in a high paced environment with the ability to multitask and support multiple initiatives
• Follows GMP’s, maintains sanitary conditions, adheres to safe work practices and ensures that product quality is maintained

Benefits

• Career development
• Mentorship
• Competitive pay
• Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with immediate match, HSA, EAP, life, disability, and more

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees