Food Scientist

Link Snacks, Inc.; Minnetrista (MN); On-site; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental & Vision benefits

Life & Disability Insurance

401k participation

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Job summary

Link Snacks, a leading meat snacks company, seeks a Food Scientist to drive R&D projects, ensure quality, and support growth initiatives across new product development and packaging. The role collaborates with Operations, QA, and R&D to commercialize new products.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in meat science or food science, with hands-on lab experience, excellent communication, and the ability to travel up to 30% as needed. Base pay reflects market norms and company rewards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Meat Science, Food Science, Animal Science or related field.
• 3+ years of product development or relevant food manufacturing experience
• Familiarity with laboratory procedures and equipment
• Proficient written and oral communication skills
• Able to work in a fast-paced, changing environment
• Strong collaboration with R&D, QA and cross-functional partners
• Strong problem-solving with a bias for action
• Detail-oriented with accurate test records
• Willingness to travel up to 30%

Responsibilities

• Drive and support the development of innovation from internal and external sources to help fulfill the company’s strategic plan.
• Explore alternative ingredients, vendors and processes to improve margins for new and current products.
• Identify and research potential new platform opportunities.
• Provide technical feedback as a member of the R&D team.
• Manage projects including sourcing ingredients, plant trials, and documenting results.
• Lead product cuttings for cross-functional teams.
• Champion quality awareness and maintain product quality across lines.
• Continuously improve product and processes for quality and profitability.
• Document product specifications, labeling and regulatory requirements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Meat Science

Food Science

Animal Science

Laboratory procedures

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Meat Science, Food Science, Animal Science or related field

Job description

At Link Snacks, we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don't hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago.

We're everyday people who deliver extraordinary results. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren't buzzwords, they’re expectations. And just like the real protein snacks we make across our global house of brands— Jack Link’s® , Lorissa’s Kitchen® , Golden Island® , BiFi® , and Peperami® and KOOEE!® to name a few—there’s nothing artificial about us. What you see is exactly what you get: humble, gritty, passionate people who show up every day ready to not just be a participate in the meat snack industry that the Link Family created, but to move faster, innovate harder and keep raising the bar so high, the rest of the world needs a ladder just to see it.

Dominating this space across the world takes a team. A team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together. A team that’s full of relentless energy and spirit that can only be fueled by one thing: a fist full of our delicious meat snacks.

Real Meat Protein. Real People. Real Results. THAT is Link Snacks!

Job Description

The Link Snacks the Food Scientist plays a key role in the development and execution of corporate research, development, and innovation initiatives including new product development, product and process improvement, quality, and food safety. This position will play a major role in helping the company achieve its growth objectives through appropriate uses of technology and innovation in new product development, packaging, quality control, and operations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drive and support the development of innovation from internal and external sources to help fulfill the company’s strategic plan.
• Support the exploration of alternative ingredients, vendors and processes to deliver higher margin for new and current product opportunities.
• Support the identification and research of potential new platform opportunities.
• Serve as a voice providing feedback and technical assistance as a member of the R & D team.
• Manage individual projects as assigned including sourcing and verification of raw ingredients and other materials, collaboration with Operations, QA, and other R & D staff to schedule and execute plant trials, hands on technical development and commercialization of new products in line with the NPD process and documentation of test formulas, procedures and net outcomes.
• Lead product cuttings for cross functional teams of existing products, product improvements, new products, or competitive samples.
• Champion quality awareness. Maintain product quality across our product lines.
• Continuously improve product and processes for greater product quality and profitability.
• Document and maintain product and process specifications, nutritional values/product labeling and regulatory requirements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Meat Science, Food Science, Animal Science or related field.
• 3 + years of product development experience or working in relevant food manufacturing experiences
• Familiarity with laboratory procedures and equipment
• Proficient written and oral communication skills.
• Comfortable in a fast paced, changing environment.
• Demonstrated relationship and leadership skills including effective collaboration with R&D, quality, and cross-functional partners
• Strong problem-solving skills and a bias for action
• Detail oriented with demonstrated experience of maintaining accurate records on all tests and related work
• Comfortable in a fast paced, changing environment
• Ability to travel up to 30%.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Masters degree in Meat Science, Food Science, Animal Science or related field.
• 5 + years of experience in the meat processing industry, or meat lab experience preferred.
• Understanding of USDA regulations
• Smokehouse experience including natural and atomized smoke applications
• Experience in the shelf stable meat snack industry
• Knowledge of food manufacturing regulations, standards and labeling, plant sanitation, and microbiology

Additional Information

The salary range for this role is$75,000 - $90,000 (Annually). Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Jack Link’s Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Jack Link’s provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays and paid time off.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the Team Member is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The Team Member is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The Team Member must occasionally lift and/or more up to twenty-five pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant/office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet/slippery floors. However, the vast amount of work is conducted in a climate-controlled office. Travel may be required.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: Link Snacks provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.

E-VERIFY: Link Snacks is participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For information about the E-Verify program, please visit: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees