Scientist, Product Development

Imbibe•Niles, IL

About The Position

About Imbibe Imbibe is a dynamic, high-growth food and beverage development company based in Niles, Illinois. We specialize in developing, creating, and manufacturing beverage flavors, ingredient systems, and finished food and beverage products. Our mission is to design ingredients with impact for the food and beverage industry. Since our founding in 1963, Imbibe has been at the forefront of flavor innovation and product development. We offer a comprehensive range of services, including full product development, taste modulation, and finished product solutions. Our state-of-the-art campus features an Innovation Center and Pilot Plant that enable us to tackle industry-wide taste and texture challenges, ensuring that our clients receive the highest quality products. At Imbibe, we pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to continuous improvement. Our values of collaboration, accountability, and entrepreneurship drive us to deliver exceptional results for our clients. We also believe in giving back to the community. Through various initiatives we support efforts to combat food insecurity in the Chicagoland area by donating ingredients and our time. If you're passionate about the food and beverage industry and eager to make a meaningful impact, Imbibe is the place for you. Let's create something extraordinary together! Summary of Position The Scientist is a mid-level product developer. This individual is skilled in the formulation, scale-up, and commercialization of food and beverage products but may have more weighted experience in a certain area. They are proficient in self-management and project prioritization to meet business and client needs and play a key role with keeping a project team on task. This individual has a developing knowledge of the food and beverage industry, holistically, and is a keen innovator amid an ever-changing trend landscape.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in food science, chemistry, biochemistry, engineering, or related field.
Minimum 4 years’ experience in a food/beverage manufacturing facility and/or laboratory setting.
Proficient in Microsoft Office suite including Outlook, Excel, SharePoint, and Word.
Skilled in data synthesis and technical writing/communication.
Collaborative and team-oriented mindset and detailed work style.
Proficiency in self-management and prioritization skills to meet client and business needs.
Comfortable with a brisk working pace and environment of changing priorities.
Must be able to sit, stand, or remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time.
May occasionally need to move, lift, or transport containers of ingredients weighing up to 50 lbs.
Exposure to food and beverage product tastings which may include allergens.
Occasional travel to manufacturing plants where exposure to confined spaces, loud noise, excessive heat/cold, and/or wet/slippery conditions is possible.

Nice To Haves

Minimum 3 years’ experience in beverage product development is preferred.
Direct experience in the formulation and successful launch of multiple platforms of beverage products including but not limited to high- and low-acid ready-to-drink, ready-to-mix beverage powders, functional beverages, and concentrates/syrups.
Skilled in data synthesis and technical writing/communication.
Comfortable executing presentations to internal stakeholders and external clients.

Responsibilities

Work to formulate high quality products for clients, assuming responsibility for the design, planning, and execution of varying complexity projects.
Batch and prepare formulas for processing at the bench and pilot plant scale, with an in-depth working knowledge of relevant processing equipment.
Conduct analytical testing on raw and finished product samples including but not limited to pH, titratable acidity, total solids/moisture, particle size, Brix, density, viscosity, and color.
Apply critical thinking, food science and business principles to work through complex, challenging scenarios at bench, pilot, and commercial scales.
Leverage internal and external resources for troubleshooting and root cause analysis.
Interact with clients on a regular basis to maintain project momentum and engagement.
Drive progress and deliver results on multiple priorities, projects, and timelines concurrently.
Provide technical support for varying complexity/risk product trials.
Monitor progress of shelf life for given projects through data analysis and synthesis into comprehensive technical reports.
Execute other duties as assigned within established SOPs and participate in SOP revision, optimization, and creation with other stakeholders.
Participate in training and onboarding initiatives as needed and lead training for any direct reports.
Follow all Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) guidelines and assist in enforcing policies throughout the organization.
This role may require travel to manufacturing plants (<20%).
This role may include supervision of other teammates as well as management of entry or junior-level roles (typically 1-2 direct reports).