Associate Scientist, Center of Excellence

Kraft Heinz; Glenview (IL); On-site; USD 69,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

Kraft Heinz in Glenview, Illinois is seeking a product development professional to direct and execute projects across our North America Zone Taste Elevation portfolio. You will apply scientific principles to develop and commercialize new dairy-related products, leading scale-up and partnering with cross-functional teams.

The role requires strong communication, project management, and design of experiments expertise, with travel up to 30% and a collaborative, results-driven mindset.

Qualifications

• B.S. degree or M.S. in Food, Dairy, Meat Science or Chemical Engineering.
• Previous dairy experience is preferred.
• Strong understanding of Design of Experiments.
• Internship or Co-op experience in the food or consumer products industry is preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 30%.

Responsibilities

• Conduct bench top experiments in the lab.
• Test new products for flavor, texture, color, and shelf-life against standards.
• Lead pilot plant and product plant scale-up of formulas.
• Create and refine product formulations for commercialization.
• Collaborate with Packaging, Quality, Operations, Project Management, Marketing and Sales to meet objectives.
• Support feasibility assessments, prototype development, and recipe documentation for production.

Skills

Good communication

Critical thinking

Investigation skills

Education

B.S./M.S. in Food, Dairy, Meat Science or Chemical Engineering

Job description

Role Summary

This is a product development role providing direction for and execution of projects across our North America Zone Taste Elevation business. The candidate will be implementing and driving technical projects to meet business initiatives across the Philadelphia Cream Cheese portfolio. This candidate must have a technical background and excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to apply prior learning or scientific principles to new situations. This position requires an individual to manage multiple assignments/ tasks concurrently and demonstrate the ability to complete work with minimal guidance. Exhibiting a collaborative mindset and applying creative solutions are a must.

About Us

The Kraft Heinz Company is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, with eight $1 billion+ brands and global sales of approximately $25 billion. We're a globally trusted producer of high-quality, great-tasting, and nutritious foods for over 150 years. While Kraft Heinz is co-headquartered in Chicago and Pittsburgh, our brands are truly global, with products produced and marketed in over 40 countries. These beloved products include condiments and sauces, cheese and dairy, meals, meats, refreshment beverages, coffee, infant and nutrition products, and numerous other grocery products in a portfolio of more than 200 legacy and emerging brands.

We spark joy around mealtime with our iconic brands, including Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Heinz, Philadelphia, Lunchables, Velveeta, Planters, Maxwell House, Capri Sun, Ore-Ida, Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Primal Kitchen, and Classico, among others.

No matter the brand, we're united under one vision: To sustainably grow by delighting more consumers globally . Bringing this vision to life is our team of 39,000+ food lovers, creative thinkers, and high performers worldwide. Together, we help provide meals to those in need through our global partnership with Rise Against Hunger. We also stand committed to responsible, sustainable practices that extend to every facet of our business, our consumers, and our communities. Every day, we're transforming the food industry with bold thinking and unprecedented results. If you share our passion - and are ready to create the future, build a legacy, and lead as a global citizen - there's only one thing to do: join our table and let's make life delicious!

Our Culture of Ownership, Meritocracy & Collaboration

We're not afraid to think differently. Embrace new ideas. Dream big. We empower our people at every level - from entry-level intern to senior leader - to own their work. We share a responsibility to think like Owners - to be mindful of the collective and sustained success of Kraft Heinz - which we apply to every situation, every day. As part of Kraft Heinz, you're supported to grow and achieve. You're expected to bring your authentic self to work every day, to lead with humility, and drive outstanding performance at every level - and you'll be rewarded. You're given opportunities to leave a mark and build a legacy. But you won't do it alone. You're supported by passionate teammates along the way, and our collective, collaborative spirit fuels our incredible progress.

Key Components

Conduct bench top experiments in the lab

Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, shelf-life, and adherence to government and industry standards

Lead Pilot Plant and Product Plant scale-up of formulas

Create product formulations

Responsible for developing and commercializing new products, renovating existing products, reviewing and evaluating ingredients, and delivering cost savings across the business unit

Work collaboratively with Packaging, Quality, Operations, Project Management, Marketing, Sales to drive, scope, implement projects to meet the business objectives

Support and lead feasibility assessments, prototype development, costing, development of recipe and factory documentation, recipe development, technical approval, shelf-life assessments and technical support for initial factory production

Qualifications

B.S. degree or M.S. in Food, Dairy, Meat Science or Chemical Engineering

Previous dairy experience is preferred

Good communication, critical thinking and investigation skills

Self-starter with a passion to learn

Handle multiple assignments/tasks concurrently with the ability to prioritize work

Strong understanding of Design of Experiments

Willingness to travel up to 30%

Internship or Co-op Experience in the food or consumer products industry preferred

Our Total Rewards philosophy

Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz' strategy and values.

New Hire Base Salary Range

$68,900.00 - $86,100.00

Bonus

This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.

The compensation offered will take into account internal eq