Sr. Scientist (Innovation & Core Expansion)

Liquid I.V. • El Segundo, CA

21h • $103,000 - $154,700 • Hybrid

About The Position

Liquid I.V. is seeking a highly motivated and innovative Senior Scientist to join its R&D team. This role will support both innovation and core expansion initiatives, acting as an integral member of the LIV R&D team with cross-functional collaboration across all business levels. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in new product development, with a preference for experience in powdered food development. Key areas of focus include innovation processes, hands-on formulation, productivity, resilience projects, and lab management.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in food science with experience in Food Engineering or Bachelor’s degree in food engineering with experience in R&D or Bachelors in other Engineering Fields with significant food/R&D experience.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of relevant work experience.
• Excellent planning, organizational, and project management skills.
• Strong working knowledge of food science, dietary supplements, health and nutrition, food manufacturing processes, quality assurance principles, ingredient supply market, and market research practices, and product commercialization.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to define problems, collect and interpret data, draw valid conclusions, and propose solutions.
• Highly innovative and creative.
• Excellent written and oral technical communication skills.
• Strong organizational and teamwork skills, ability to multi-task.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced setting under tight deadlines.
• Knowledgeable in Microsoft Office.
• Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• Focus on powdered food development.
• Experience with innovation process.
• Hands-on formulation.
• Productivity, resilience projects.
• Lab management.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to independently lead product development projects within innovation and core expansion teams through the full product development lifecycle, including concept ideation with Marketing, prototype development, specification creation, scale-up support, and post-launch/in-market support to ensure successful commercialization.
• Support innovation initiatives by engaging external partners, including suppliers, third-party organizations, and internal teams, to facilitate innovation sessions and identify emerging opportunities to drive continuous growth of LIV portfolio.
• Lead the creative development of new flavors as part of innovation projects and core portfolio expansion while ensuring stable and quality formulations.
• Deliver "product superiority" measures with innovation, fuel for growth and resilience projects.
• Partner with technical commercialization function to ensure successful transfer and execution of product formulations and specifications at various manufacturing sites.
• Plan and execute stability studies for new and existing formulations. Analyze data to make recommendations for product and process updates.
• Lead technical evaluation and qualification of alternate raw material suppliers to reduce cost and mitigate business risk.
• Provide technical support to manufacturing sites to troubleshoot formulation and quality issues to minimize downtime and product loss.
• Support implementation of step changes in PD capabilities as outlined in function growth strategies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional team to identify and execute continuous improvement initiatives across core portfolio to improve efficiencies.
• Work closely with marketing, insights, and sensory teams on consumer focus groups to understand product landscape and consumer needs to be addressed.
• Ensure the final product meets efficacy, cost, sensory, and aesthetic requirements in accordance with the brand's strategy and goals.
• Travel as necessary to represent team at industry conferences, tradeshows, formula development, pilot and/or production runs, work onsite at CM R&D facilities as needed to meet project approval milestones.

Benefits

• 100% company-paid medical, dental and vision insurance for employees (PPO, HMO and Kaiser options).
• A 401k plan with company match, short and long-term disability coverage.
• A generous PTO and sick policy that includes 13+ paid annual holidays.
• Wellness classes (fitness, mental health, nutrition, finance, etc.).
• An Employee Assistance Program, including membership for guided meditation for all employees.
• Monthly tech and wellness reimbursement.
• An infinite supply of Liquid I.V. for endless hydration!

What This Job Offers

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