Principal Product Innovation KIND

Mars • Chicago, IL

1d • $119,040 - $163,680 • Onsite

About The Position

The Principal Scientist, Product Innovation is a senior technical leader within the KIND Product Development team, responsible for driving breakthrough product innovation from concept through commercialization. This role leads the development of new product platforms, formulations, and technologies that deliver consumer-centric growth while advancing the KIND brand and portfolio strategy. The Principal Scientist leverages product development expertise, technical curiosity, and cross-functional influence to identify opportunities, solve complex challenges, and bring differentiated products to market. This role serves as a key technical expert, translating consumer insights, business objectives, and emerging food technologies into scalable, high-quality products that fuel future growth.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, a closely related discipline or equivalent
• 12+ years of leading the end-to-end development and commercialization of new products, product improvements, and innovation platforms within the food industry
• Deep expertise in food science, product formulation, ingredient functionality, processing technologies, and scale-up principles. Proven ability to apply scientific and technical knowledge to solve complex product development challenges and create differentiated consumer experiences
• Proven track record of successfully managing complex projects, including leading cross-functional teams and driving collaborative initiatives across R&D, Quality, Supply Chain, and Marketing
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to convey technical concepts to diverse audiences. Adept at identifying challenges, developing solutions, and facilitating effective decision-making
• Possesses deep subject matter expertise in product development and commercialization, including formulation design, ingredient functionality, processing technologies, scale-up, and successful launch execution across food and snack categories
• Demonstrates a strong ability to develop innovative and creative technical solutions that accelerate innovation timelines, overcome complex development challenges, and enable the successful delivery of high-impact business initiatives​
• Proven track record of developing and executing complex innovation programs, translating consumer insights, market opportunities, and business objectives into commercially successful products and platforms
• Extensive experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing stakeholders across R&D, Marketing, Consumer Insights, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, and Procurement to drive alignment and achieve project objectives
• Skilled at balancing consumer, technical, operational, and financial considerations to deliver scalable product solutions that meet quality expectations while supporting business growth objectives
• Demonstrated ability to identify, evaluate, and apply emerging ingredients, technologies, and industry trends to create differentiated products and support future innovation opportunities
• Recognized for solving complex technical challenges and providing expert guidance during product development, scale-up, commercialization, and post-launch performance optimization

Nice To Haves

• Advance degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or a closely related discipline
• Proven track record of developing and executing complex innovation programs, translating consumer insights, market opportunities, and business objectives into commercially successful products and platforms
• Experience mentoring and developing technical talent, fostering a culture of scientific excellence, continuous learning, and knowledge sharing across the organization

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end development and commercialization of new products, product improvements, and innovation platforms, ensuring successful delivery from concept through launch while meeting consumer, business, quality, and operational objectives
• Drive the creation of breakthrough formulations and product technologies that strengthen the KIND portfolio, delivering differentiated consumer experiences and supporting business growth objectives
• Develop and implement innovative technical solutions to overcome complex product development and manufacturing challenges, enabling accelerated project timelines and successful execution within dynamic business environments
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Marketing, Consumer Insights, Supply Chain, Procurement, Operations, Quality, and Regulatory teams to translate consumer and business needs into scalable product solutions
• Guide product and process development through benchtop development, pilot plant testing, manufacturing scale-up, and commercialization, ensuring technical readiness and successful launch execution
• Identify, evaluate, and incorporate emerging ingredients, technologies, processing methods, and industry trends to support innovation and deliver differentiated product experiences
• Serve as a senior technical expert for product performance, formulation, and manufacturing interactions, proactively troubleshooting complex technical issues and providing recommendations to support business continuity and operational excellence
• Build strong partnerships with suppliers, external technology providers, and research partners to accelerate innovation, enhance technical capabilities, and support new product development opportunities
• Influence project direction, innovation priorities, and key technical decisions through data-driven decision making, technical leadership, and effective stakeholder engagement
• Mentor and coach scientists and cross-functional partners, strengthening product development capabilities and fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that enhance product development processes, increase efficiency, and improve speed-to-market while maintaining KIND's high standards for quality and consumer satisfaction

Benefits

• company bonus
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package
• variable pay
• medical and dental benefits
• participation in 401k plan
• paid time off benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal