Product Development Scientist

The Masterson Company, Inc. • Milwaukee, WI

6h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Product Development Scientist is responsible for developing new food product ideas from benchtop to commercialization, supporting all steps of the product lifecycle. This works cross-functionally with other departments and Product Development Scientists to develop safe and innovative food products and to resolve quality, manufacturing, and efficiency issues of current products.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 2–5+ years of product development experience in food manufacturing, preferred.
• Prior experience formulating, preferred.
• Prior experience working in food manufacturing environment, preferred.
• Better Processing School Certification preferred.
• Knowledge of Good Laboratory Practices, aseptic lab techniques, manufacturing equipment, quality testing, food ingredients, food chemistry and processing methods.
• Proficient interpersonal and communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to interact with all levels of staff.
• Ability to work effectively on a team.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multiple different departments, including Sales, Purchasing, Customer Service and Quality.
• Detailed oriented with the ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability, statistics, and risk analysis.
• Ability to identify trends and patterns.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions and product samples quality results using good judgement.
• Ability to research, read, analyze and interpret common scientific and technical journals.
• Strong technical food science aptitude with a good working knowledge of HACCP, FSMA, and GMPs.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks with capability of prioritizing and planning work activities, while maintaining a high level of accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Develop and formulate new products that meet food safety guidelines and specifications, bringing new product from concept through finished product.
• Prepare product samples for customer review and support the approval process.
• Conduct research experiments that help R&D answer ingredient, formula, and processing questions and aid in the understanding of the science behind our products.
• Assist and supports product trials, startups and product development as well as assist the production department with daily formula substitutions and corrections for in process batches. Work cross-functionally with other departments to support these tasks.
• Perform routine product testing, including quality checks and shelf-life evaluations.
• Works with vendors and internal buyers to discover and qualify new ingredients. Assist with sourcing ingredients by working with Purchasing and suppliers to identify and evaluate options.
• Evaluates expired ingredients for acceptability in production.
• Monitors and write production formulas and optimize them as needed.
• Evaluates ingredient usage, including reviewing alternatives and determining suitability for production applications and approving new ingredient usage based on finished product application and testing.
• Ability to support plant trials, including on trials on off shifts.
• Stay informed on food trends, ingredients, and innovations.
• Calibrate and Operate Quality testing equipment and instruments in accordance with established procedures.
• Adheres to all GMP, including sanitary requirements, Safety, Food Safety, and Standardized Work procedures.
• Performs other duties or special projects as assigned.

What This Job Offers

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