Dairy Beverage & Cheese R&D Lead Scientist

Berner Food & Beverage; Dakota (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) plan

Job summary

Berner Food & Beverage is seeking a Sr. R&D Scientist to lead formulation of dairy-based beverages and cheese products from prototype to commercialization.

You will manage customer specs, nutrition panels, and labeling to ensure FDA/USDA compliance, while serving as the main liaison between R&D and other business units. You will provide technical support to Operations and customers, oversee pilot plant activities, and drive multiple cross-functional teams to successful trials and production

Qualifications

• Minimum B.S. in Food Science, Nutrition, or a related field. Masters preferred in Dairy Science
• Solid understanding of emulsions, milk & whey proteins, food safety, and allergens
• Demonstrates initiative and ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent project management and organizational skills
• Ability to maintain and operate laboratory and pilot equipment

Responsibilities

• Manage the creation and development of new products, optimize existing products, and adapt customer formulas
• Manage and develop benchtop sample processes and evaluate for shipment to customers
• Set up formulas and processes for plant trials and production
• Work cross-functionally with Operations, Procurement, and Quality to conduct pilot and production trials for customer and thermal process testing
• Expand knowledge of new materials, processes, and equipment to enhance R&D knowledge
• Provide technical support to Operations and customers as needed
• Manage product specifications, ingredient statements, and Nutrition Facts panels to meet FDA/USDA requirements
• Lead temperature distribution studies and heat penetration testing for new formulas
• Oversee the pilot plant, ingredient inventories, supplies, and equipment cleaning & maintenance
• Drive cross-functional teams for trials and commercialization runs

Skills

Formulation

Project management

Communication

Regulatory awareness

Analytical thinking

Education

B.S. in Food Science

M.S. in Dairy Science

Tools

Excel

Job description

Berner Food & Beverage is seeking a Sr. R&D Scientist to lead formulation of dairy-based beverages and cheese products from prototype to commercialization.

You will manage customer specs, nutrition panels, and labeling to ensure FDA/USDA compliance, while serving as the main liaison between R&D and other business units. You will provide technical support to Operations and customers, oversee pilot plant activities, and drive multiple cross-functional teams to successful trials and production