Scientist II, Innovation

McCormick & Company • HUNT VALLEY, MD

3d • $72,000 - $122,500 • Onsite

About The Position

McCormick & Company is hiring a full-time Scientist II, Innovation to work at its Technical Innovation Center in Hunt Valley, Maryland. The role leads innovation through basic research and development of new flavor-related technologies for McCormick’s model food system technology platform. It involves initiating, leading, and managing research projects from conceptual experimentation through process and technology demonstration, and applying the scientific method to report findings, conclusions, and recommendations through confidential reports and, where appropriate, scientific papers, invention disclosures, patent applications, and customer meetings.

The position requires understanding pilot- or commercial-scale plant equipment operations to support scale-up and demonstration of flavor products and applications. The Scientist outlines scale-up and demonstration processes, selects prototype flavor products for internal and external customer needs, assists with prototype formulation and flavor application, and builds technical credibility with external customers through project interaction and reporting. The role may supervise associate scientists, technicians, and research assistants. It also supports model food system evaluation for the Optify team and collaborates with stakeholders, R&I teammates, customers, and business leaders.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with 5–10 years of experience, master’s degree with 3 years of experience, or Ph.D. with 1 year of experience in biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, food science, or a related discipline.
• Extensive knowledge of food ingredients and technologies for food, pharmaceutical, and beverage applications.
• Extensive knowledge of ingredients used for taste modification and flavor interactions across grains, proteins, beverages, confections, and pharmaceuticals.
• Extensive knowledge of scientific experimentation, statistical data analysis, and scientific writing, including publications, invention disclosures, patent applications, industrial journal reviews, and seminar literature.
• Sensory science skills, including the ability to conduct small-group discrimination, descriptive, and affective tests.
• General understanding of data science and development of statistical projection and machine-learning models.
• Knowledge of bench-top process scale-up and pilot-scale processing.
• Experience with customer-focused technology development and project management for technology transfer and commercialization.
• Experience with new-product commercialization and strategic business planning, including pre-incubation and ideation, technical feasibility studies, cost modeling and ROI analysis, SWOT and market analysis, value propositions, and commercialization document drafting.
• Interpersonal communication and research management skills, including experience interfacing with industry peers to develop open innovation and industry-relevant technologies.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally with customers, interdepartmental groups, and business leaders.
• Intellectual curiosity, self-starter qualities, and collaborative behavior.
• Ability to influence others and provide leadership.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and report-writing skills for occasional external interactions.
• Problem-solving ability, including interpreting data and solving complex problems with incomplete information, managing risk, and making critical decisions.
• Project management and collaboration skills, including interacting, seeking advice, teaching, influencing, and negotiating across the organization.
• Excellent computer skills, including creating presentations covering technical topics and R&D capabilities.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor of Science degree and 5 years of experience working for a food company, or a master’s or Ph.D. in Food Science/Technology, Food Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Develop flavor systems and model food systems.
• Plan and lead projects, define and assess project requirements, and design experiments.
• Investigate and assess new ingredients and technologies.
• Support model food system evaluation for the Optify team.
• Communicate project status with stakeholders and R&I teammates.
• Supervise, instruct, and train employees as needed.
• Lead model food research projects from conceptual experimentation through process and technology demonstration.
• Conduct scientific research and report findings, conclusions, and recommendations through internal reports and relevant scientific or commercial communications.
• Outline scale-up and demonstration processes and select prototype flavor products to support customer needs.
• Assist with prototype formulation and flavor application, and build technical credibility with external customers through project interaction and reporting.
• Support scale-up and demonstration of flavor products and applications, including understanding pilot- or commercial-scale plant equipment operations.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and career growth opportunities.
• Flexibility and support for diverse life stages and choices.
• Comprehensive health plans covering medical, vision, dental, life, and disability benefits.
• Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, Employee Assistance Program, and caregiver support.
• Retirement and investment programs, including 401(k) and profit-sharing plans.
• Incentive Bonus (MIB) Plan eligibility for this position.

What This Job Offers

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