Scientist - New Product Development and Global Liquid Excellence

Brown‑Forman Corporation•Louisville, KY

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Product Development Scientist is responsible for contributing to the development and execution of Brown‑Forman’s global liquid development and excellence platform. This role leads complex liquid development activities from concept through commercialization, supporting Brown‑Forman’s strategic priorities across the global brand portfolio. The position partners closely with Global and Local Marketing, Sensory Insights, Regulatory, Quality, and Operations teams to bring new liquid innovations to life. The Product Development Scientist provides technical and project leadership across new and existing products.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific field, along with a minimum of 2 years of product development experience, preferably in the beverage industry (e.g., beverage formulation or flavor application development).
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to Marketing, Operations, Quality, and senior stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to lead projects and influence outcomes without direct authority.
Strong collaboration skills across cross‑functional and global teams.
Solid organizational awareness and business perspective.
Adaptability in a fast‑paced, multi‑project environment.
Experience with project management tools and methodologies.
Experience contributing to process and systems development.
Ability to evaluate and work effectively with suppliers and external partners.
Strong risk analysis and structured problem‑solving skills.
Strong working knowledge of beverage production and processing.

Responsibilities

Contribute to an inclusive, collaborative working environment by modeling Brown‑Forman values and operating principles.
Lead the development and optimization for new liquid development projects, including Ready To Drink and full‑proof products, across Brown‑Forman brands globally with support from leadership. Gain feedback from stakeholders and insights to refine products.
Partner with a diverse set of stakeholders, including brand teams, production sites, quality, regulatory, and other technical resources across regions as the liquid technical lead.
Serve as a technical resource in beverage alcohol liquid development, providing sound scientific recommendations and risk‑based decision-making to stakeholders.
Utilize and help improve tools and systems supporting efficient New Product Development execution, ensuring liquid development activities are not on the critical path (e.g., Devex, Salesforce, Smartsheets, SAP, ETQ).
Identify and support cost‑savings opportunities through formulation optimization, process improvements, and ingredient changes across the portfolio.
Collaborate closely with operations during implementation, startup, and ongoing support of new and existing products.
Work with production sites, global quality assurance, and analytical services teams to monitor ongoing production and troubleshoot issues to ensure products meet quality standards.
Stay informed on global market and category trends and proactively contribute technical input to new product opportunities.
Partner with Product Insights to plan and interpret liquid testing with internal teams and consumers, using results to refine product concepts.
Partner with Regulatory to ensure liquid designs and processes comply with requirements in all markets where products are produced and/or sold.
Engage with suppliers and external partners supporting liquid development and commercialization to ensure all Brown-Forman requirements relating to ingredients and timelines are met.
Support project planning by contributing to timelines, prioritization, and risk assessments, and communicate technical updates clearly to stakeholders.