Food Scientist I

Danone•Louisville, CO

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Food Scientist I supports the development and commercialization of fermented dairy products, with a focus on creating yogurt products informed by consumer, market, and technical needs. The role supports and/or leads lower-complexity innovation, renovation, productivity, and business-continuity projects, managing R&I deliverables across the product development life cycle with guidance from senior team members. Work spans ideation, rapid prototyping, bench and analytical work, pilot and industrial trials, product and process design, scale-up, launch support, specifications, formula cost management, sensory and analytical evaluation, and stage-gate progression. The Food Scientist I works with Brand Marketing, Quality and Food Safety, Regulatory, Procurement, Planning, Engineering, Manufacturing, external suppliers, and other partners to represent R&I interests and bring a consumer-centric, technically grounded approach to yogurt development. The role is based in Louisville, Colorado, in a hybrid work environment, with travel of 25% and support for plant trials outside business hours. The salary range is $65,000–$93,000 USD. The exact salary depends on relevant experience, geographic location, internal equity, and market conditions. Danone North America also offers a performance-based bonus and benefits including medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, a 401(k) plan, wellness program, life insurance, tuition reimbursement, flexible time off, and paid parental bonding leave, among other benefit plan options.

Requirements

B.S. in Food Science, Dairy Science, or a closely related field.
1–3 years of experience in product and/or process development in the food industry.
Foundational understanding of food science and product development principles, and ability to apply scientific thinking to formulation, process, and product-performance challenges.
Hands-on capability in rapid prototyping, bench development, pilot and industrial trials, analytical testing, sensory evaluation, and commercialization support.
Strong organization and attention to detail, with demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality work across multiple priorities, project timelines, trial logistics, data, and technical documentation.
Ability to analyze technical and statistical data, identify meaningful trends, and translate findings into practical recommendations.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams.
Open-minded, curious, self-driven, creative team player with a growth mindset and willingness to learn.
Proficiency with product development systems and general computer applications.
Flexibility to travel 25% and willingness to support plant trials outside business hours.

Nice To Haves

M.S. degree.
Knowledge or experience in dairy and/or fermented products, including yogurt formulation, fermentation, industrial processing, and manufacturing practices.

Responsibilities

Apply R&I strategy, foundational food science, and structured product-development methods to support the dairy yogurt business.
Manage and deliver lower-complexity innovation, renovation, productivity, and business-continuity projects through the stage-gate process, including ownership of R&I timelines, milestones, deliverables, and follow-up actions.
Translate consumer and business needs into product and process design criteria, including sensory attributes, nutrition, food safety, quality, cost, and manufacturing requirements.
Develop and optimize yogurt formulations and processes, including ingredient functionality, fermentation, texture, flavor, and stability.
Plan and execute bench, pilot, and plant trials; analyze results, identify trends and risks, and recommend next steps.
Support industrial scale-up and commercialization with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and Food Safety, Regulatory, Marketing, Procurement, Planning, and other cross-functional teams.
Develop and maintain formulas, finished-product specifications, processing procedures, raw-material requirements, and technical documentation.
Organize samples and tasting sessions; support consumer-test sample production; coordinate analytical and sensory evaluations, including shelf-life follow-up.
Collaborate with ingredient, culture, flavor, fruit-preparation, and other technical suppliers by preparing briefs, coordinating samples and trial materials, reviewing results, and providing feedback.
Troubleshoot product and process challenges with internal partners and external suppliers, document learnings, and identify practical solutions and contingency plans.
Support R&I activities during product launch and start-up, ensuring product and process documentation is complete before commercialization.
Maintain an organized, safe, and efficient laboratory workspace and follow applicable food safety, quality, regulatory, and documentation requirements.