Associate R&D Scientist - Food Preservation

Kerry Group; Beloit (WI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

Kerry is seeking an Associate R&D Scientist in Food Preservation in Beloit, WI to develop and commercialize preservation and freshness solutions, extending shelf life, improving safety, and maintaining quality. You will lead projects from concept through commercialization with close collaboration across teams.

The role requires a BS or MS in a related field and 1–2+ years of food industry experience in product/process development and commercialization. Travel up to 20% is expected.

Qualifications

• BS or MS degree in Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Food Science, or a related field.
• 1-2+ years of experience in product development, process development, commercialization, or related role in the food industry.
• Experience with food preservation, shelf-life extension, food processing, and product commercialization.
• Knowledge of food chemistry, food processing, sensory evaluation, packaging systems, and food engineering principles.
• Experience supporting pilot plant trials, scale-up activities, and manufacturing operations.
• Strong troubleshooting, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Self-starter with ownership, curiosity, and continuous improvement mindset.
• Willingness to travel up to 20%.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize preservation and freshness systems for food and beverage applications.
• Lead customer-driven innovation projects from concept to commercialization.
• Design experiments, evaluate products, and develop cost-effective solutions.
• Optimize existing products, processes, and manufacturing performance.
• Lead pilot plant trials, scale-ups, and commercialization activities.
• Support technology transfer with manufacturing teams.
• Develop and improve manufacturing processes such as fermentation, spray drying, filtration, centrifugation, homogenization, pasteurization, sterilization, and evaporation.
• Troubleshoot product and process challenges at pilot and commercial scale.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement, yield enhancement, and risk reduction.
• Collaborate with Regulatory, Marketing, Operations, Business Development, and external customers.
• Deliver technical presentations and project updates.

Skills

Troubleshooting

Project management

Communication

Collaboration

Ownership

Curiosity

Education

BS or MS in Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Food Science, or related field

Job description

Associate R&D Scientist - Food Preservation

Position Type: (US)Full Time
Workplace Arrangement:

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

The RD&A Scientist, Food Protection & Preservation, is responsible for developing and commercializing innovative preservation and freshness solutions that help customers extend shelf life, improve food safety, reduce spoilage, and maintain product quality. This role leads projects from concept through commercialization, partnering closely with customers, manufacturing, regulatory, marketing, and business development teams.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and optimize preservation and freshness systems for food and beverage applications.
• Lead customer-driven innovation projects from concept, formulation, and testing through scale-up and commercialization.
• Design and execute experiments, evaluate competitive products, and develop differentiated, cost-effective solutions.
• Optimize existing products, processes, and manufacturing performance.
• Lead pilot plant trials, production scale-ups, and commercialization activities.
• Support technology transfer activities and collaborate with manufacturing teams to ensure successful implementation.
• Develop and improve manufacturing processes including fermentation, spray drying, filtration, centrifugation, homogenization, pasteurization, sterilization, and evaporation.
• Troubleshoot product and process challenges at pilot and commercial scale.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement, yield enhancement, and risk reduction.
• Collaborate with Regulatory, Marketing, Operations, Business Development, and external customers to achieve project objectives.
• Deliver technical presentations, project updates, and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders.

Qualifications and skills

• BS or MS degree in Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Food Science, or a related field.
• 1-2+ years of experience in product development, process development, commercialization, or a related role within the food industry
• Experience with food preservation, shelf-life extension, food processing, and product commercialization.
• Knowledge of food chemistry, food processing, sensory evaluation, packaging systems, and food engineering principles.
• Experience supporting pilot plant trials, scale-up activities, and manufacturing operations.
• Strong troubleshooting, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Self-starter with a strong sense of ownership, curiosity, and continuous improvement mindset.
• Willingness to travel up to 20%.

The pay range for this position is $70,100 - $109,050 in Annual Salary . Kerry typically does not hire an individual at the top or near the top of the range, as we are a pay-for-performance company, and this range is set to continue to reward performance annually while in role . Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case . The specific compensation offered to a candidate within the above range may be influenced by a variety of factors including skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity . Kerry offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities, Employee Share Plan, Life, disability, and accident insurance, and tuition reimbursement . This job posting is anticipated to expire on January 2027.

Kerry is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. Kerry will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen. Additional information can be found at: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (dol.gov) .