Food Scientist

Tyson Foods, Inc.•Springdale, AR

About The Position

The Food Scientist develops and commercializes new and improved products and processes, with guidance from a manager. The role spans product and process development, including creating product specifications and ensuring regulatory labeling and food safety requirements are met. Responsibilities include developing samples and prototypes, modifying and optimizing existing products, preparing production-labeling specifications, and compiling cost analyses. The Food Scientist applies scientific methods and knowledge of ingredients, formulation, and food processing to develop innovative food products. The role also leads and executes cook-validation studies to support commercialization, verify food safety, optimize cooking procedures, and help ensure consistent restaurant quality. The position may be filled at Food Scientist I or Food Scientist II level; the level will be determined through the interview process. The Food Scientist works independently on development and optimization projects of moderate complexity, from concept through commercialization, with manager guidance. Work may include bench-top development, pilot-plant testing, scale-up at a federally inspected research facility, and commercialization at a full-scale production facility. The role collaborates with cross-functional teams and ingredient suppliers, supports successful production start-ups, and travels to production facilities and customer meetings as needed. Travel is 25–50%. Relocation assistance is eligible. The position may supervise hourly technicians supporting a team of scientists.

Requirements

Food Scientist II: A BS, MS, or PhD in Food Science, Meat Science, Food Engineering, or a related field; alternative protein science or equivalent is also accepted. A PhD requires no experience; an MS requires at least 2 years of relevant experience; a BS requires at least 3 years of relevant experience; candidates without a degree require at least 8 years of relevant experience.
Food Scientist I: A BS, MS, or PhD in Food Science, Meat Science, Food Engineering, or a related field. A PhD or MS requires no experience; a BS requires at least 2 years of relevant experience; candidates without a degree require at least 8 years of relevant experience.
Good computer skills and ability to use MS Office products and Tyson systems or similar systems.
Good verbal and written communication skills, presentation skills, and ability to communicate effectively with cross-functional business partners.
Strong critical-thinking, analytical, problem-solving, project-management, and numerical skills.
Understanding of product formulation, food processing, the research and development process, regulatory labeling, and food safety requirements.
Willingness and ability to travel 25–50%.
Willingness and ability to perform the physical requirements of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of poultry new-product development and optimization, including battered and breaded products.
Ability to use scientific methods and knowledge of ingredients, product formulation, and food processing to support innovative product development.
Ability to demonstrate responsible use of approved AI tools, safeguard sensitive information, follow company policies, validate AI-generated outputs, and apply professional judgment.

Responsibilities

Develop and commercialize new and improved products and processes, including product specifications and compliance with regulatory labeling and food safety requirements.
Develop culinary samples and prototypes; modify and optimize existing products.
Develop specifications for product production labeling and compile cost analysis information for product management.
Manage multiple moderately complex development and optimization projects from concept through commercialization, including planning and conducting experiments, analyzing data, and reporting results.
Conduct bench-top development, pilot-plant testing, scale-up production at a federally inspected research facility, and final commercialization at a full-scale production facility.
Lead and execute cook-validation studies, including planning, conducting, documenting, and communicating studies across products, production lines, and fryer platforms.
Analyze data to create product specifications that are process capable.
Ensure project costing meets financial expectations.
Work with marketing, insights, sales, culinary, FSQA, operations, purchasing, ingredient suppliers, and process development to complete projects and support smooth production start-ups.
Develop process flow charts for engineering in partnership with process development.
Help identify innovation that can be treated as intellectual property and provide Tyson a competitive advantage.
Present technical data and concepts in a way that is understandable to nontechnical audiences.
Travel to production facilities and customer meetings for testing, commercialization, troubleshooting, and other business needs.
Complete special projects as needed.
Develop a personal development plan with the manager and pursue growth within the organization.
May supervise hourly technicians supporting a team of scientists.