Associate Research & Development Scientist

Theuniversityunion; Lake Mills (IA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Theuniversityunion is seeking an Associate R&D Scientist for Product Commercialization & Specifications in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. You will manage product specifications, data, and documentation while supporting trials, sensory evaluations, and lifecycle management to bring innovative products to market.

Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and experience with ERP systems are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, Food Engineering, or related field.
• Internship, co-op, or professional experience in the food industry.
• Excellent organizational and detail-oriented skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain product specifications, formulations, and nutritional data.
• Support item setup and lifecycle management via ERP workflow routing.
• Coordinate production trials, plant validations, and commercialization activities.
• Maintain ingredient, packaging, supplier, and finished product specs.
• Assist in product renovations and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Maintain data in nutritional labeling software.
• Support packaging component and material information (EPR initiatives).
• Assist sensory evaluation and analysis of raw materials and products.
• Troubleshoot technical issues related to products and processes.
• Participate in cross-functional project teams and report progress.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Attention to detail

Verbal and written communication

MS Excel proficiency

ERP/workflow experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Job description

• Location 450 C.P. Avenue,Lake Mills, WI, 53551,United States

We are seeking a highly motivated Associate R&D Scientist - Product Commercialization & Specifications - to join our Research & Development team. This role supports the successful commercialization of new products and maintenance of existing products through specification management, product setup, documentation, sensory evaluation, and project execution activities. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and eager to learn the end-to-end commercialization process within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.

This position plays a critical role in ensuring accurate product data, supporting plant trials and validations, and maintaining the systems and documentation necessary to bring innovative products to market efficiently and accurately. It provides an opportunity to build a strong foundation in food product commercialization, specification management, and product lifecycle support while developing the skills necessary for future growth within Research & Development.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Create, update, and maintain product specifications, formulations, nutritional data, and multi-component product documentation with a high degree of accuracy.
• Support new item setup and product lifecycle management through ERP workflow routing, system maintenance, and data management.
• Coordinate and support production trials, plant validations, and commercialization activities for new and existing products.
• Maintain ingredient, packaging, supplier, and finished product specifications.
• Support product renovation and continuous improvement initiatives to meet business, customer, quality, and regulatory requirements
• Maintain data within nutritional labeling software.
• Support Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives through collection and maintenance of packaging component and material information.
• Support sensory evaluation and analysis of raw materials and finished products, including dairy and bakery products.
• Assist in troubleshooting technical issues related to products, ingredients, specifications, and manufacturing processes.
• Participate in cross-functional project teams and support project execution through timely communication of status, timelines, and deliverables.
• Support Customer Service by providing technical information and responding to customer and consumer inquiries as needed.
• Coordinate innovation sample processing, product shipments, shelf-life studies, and sensory evaluations for products under development and maintenance.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, Food Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
• Internship, co-op, or professional experience in the food industry.
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to learn and work within ERP, specification management, and product development systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with food product development, commercialization, and specification management.
• Familiarity with Genesis R&D or similar nutrition labeling software.
• Working knowledge of food regulations, nutrition labeling requirements, and ingredient compliance.
• Understanding of food chemistry, microbiology, ingredient functionality, and manufacturing processes.
• Exposure to GMP, SQF, HACCP, and food safety programs.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience working with ERP systems (Microsoft Dynamics 365 preferred).

Success Factors

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong ownership and accountability for product setup and data accuracy.
• A growth mindset and desire to develop expertise in commercialization and product lifecycle management.
• Sound decision-making skills and a strong sense of urgency.
• Excellent time management and prioritization capabilities.
• The ability to balance technical detail with business needs in a fast-paced environment.
• A collaborative approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Position includes both office and manufacturing plant environments.
• Noise levels are generally moderate and may occasionally be high in production areas.
• Required use of hairnets, safety glasses, hearing protection, and other protective equipment when entering manufacturing areas.
• Must be able to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move materials up to 40 pounds.
• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods throughout the workday.
• Must meet all GMP, SQF, food safety, and workplace safety requirements.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the work and may not include all the duties associated with this position.