Viewing a Food Job / Beverage Job:   Scientist

Skills and Experience

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  KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSA’S):
   
  1.     Technical knowledge and good reasoning abilities.
  2.     Mature, enthusiastic, motivated contributor.
  3.     Effective written and oral communications skills.
  4.     Excellent PC skills with high level functional understanding of Word, Excel, Project, Prism, BPCS and PLM systems.
  5.     Good organization skills with the ability to plan projects/activities with a high energy level.
  6.     Creative problem solving skills, sound judgment, and an orientation towards innovation.
  7.     Profit oriented.
  8.     Ability to establish credibility with others, as well as be decisive.
  9.     Ability to recognize and support the organizations preferences and priorities.
   
   
  EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
   
  1.     B.S. or M.S. degree in Food Science/Food Technology/Animal Science or related area with at least 3 to 5 years experience in the meat or food industry.
  2.     Proven success as Development Technologist with experience in multiple product categories.
  3.     Any equivalent combination of experience and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Job Description

Print Job Description

 

(These duties do not preclude performance of other jobs that may be assigned.)

 

POSITION SUMMARY:  

This position is responsible manage the investigations, experimental design, formulation testing, decision making, and commercialization of multiple new products and current product optimization projects. The incumbent will work under the leadership of a Group Manager. Able to gather input from internal and external sources to solve issues. 

 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

(Listed in order of importance and/or frequency)

 

1.     Product Development

• Direct the coordinated development of new products and improvements of current products to deliver on objectives of the annual business plans. Apply sound culinary techniques to design products with consumer/customer valued attributes.
• Lead multiple complex development projects using detailed investigations, well thought out experimental design, sound scientific techniques and data based decision making.
• Investigate for product and process challenges. 
• Work with other departments (Manufacturing, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality and Purchasing) to determine equipment, materials and processes necessary to produce products to maximize capacity and optimize product quality and differentiation.
• Insure accurate product information input to Cost Accounting to maintain the integrity of data entered into manufacturing management systems.
• Assure technically sound sensory panels are conducted for product development, shelf-life studies, improving/maintaining present products and competitive testing.
• Identify and complete technical study of ingredients, suppliers, co-packers relevant to meeting project objectives and meeting Pierre standards.

 

2.     Productivity and Cost Savings

• Understand standard product cost models and raw material markets.
• Stimulate and coordinate cost savings projects. Calculate total savings.
• Carry out detailed investigations to advise the Productivity teams in areas of product formulation and yields. Identify and use different methods of creative idea generation by staff for new product concepts or product improvements.

 

 

 

3.     Target Market and Customer Understanding

• Understand the needs of the customer in the target market segments. Coordinate and participate in product presentations.
• Be knowledgeable on current market trends through participation in food shows, sales meeting, technical presentations, reviewing periodicals, and partnerships with suppliers.
• Support sales and marketing organization in idea generation, product usage opportunities.

 

4.     Technical Expertise and Idea Generation

• Maintain current technical knowledge in regulations, new ingredients, processes, and equipment through trade journals professional meetings, food shows and technical representatives.
• Know the competitive products in the marketplace.
• Recommend and advocate new product concepts which should be taken to next level of development.
• Evaluate relevant competitive products to determine market opportunities for new products and application recommendations for current products.

 

5.    Regulatory Understanding

• Maintain a working knowledge of current USDA, FDA, FNS, and Canadian and Mexican regulations (as applicable to assignments) as they relate to the food processing industry. Establish knowledgeable contacts with expertise in USDA/FSA/FNS regulations.
• Develop and obtain approved labels for products developed.
• Know how TQC and HACCP programs affect new products.
• Provide raw material information and formula to Pierre regulatory leaders to create the nutritional analysis, product analysis, and nutritional facts panels.
• Know commodity reprocessing regulations and how to enter information for End Product Data Schedules as required for school feeding programs.

 

6.     Relationships with Internal and External Resources

• Understand the capabilities of co-packers and plants within the company. Help select co-packers with new capabilities meeting Pierre Supplier requirements. Build relationships with resources within the co-packer organization and keep current with needs and capabilities. Oversee the negotiation of time schedules, product components, and costs with co-packers.

• Participate in sales meetings to educate sales personnel on technical issues and the New Product Development Process.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing and Accounting the implementation of products in the process development program. Participate in the setting of standards of new yields and throughputs.
• Communicate frequently with resource people related to the industry.

 

7.    Contribute to Department and Company Strategies, Objectives and Systems

• Contribute to the development of departmental objectives, standard operating procedures and policies.

• Coordinate and implement the training of the product development staff. Act as a mentor for staff members with less experience.
• Participate in the prioritization of the product development projects across the business units.
• Coordinate and lead the staff in the completion of support functions of the department such as facilities management, equipment maintenance, coordinating meetings, preparing training.