Food Scientist

Wellington Executive Search; Muscatine (IA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

401K with company match

Paid time off

Relocation assistance

Job summary

The Applications Scientist role at Wellington Executive Search partners with sales teams, customers, and industry stakeholders to demonstrate the value of ingredients across food, nutraceutical, and personal care applications. You will design experiments, develop formulations, and deliver technical solutions to support growth.

Travel up to 40% across the USA for customer visits, trade shows, and technical consultations.

Qualifications

• BS in Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology or related field required; MS preferred.
• 3+ years in customer-facing technical roles supporting sales and product commercialization.
• Strong knowledge of food chemistry, ingredient functionality, and formulation science.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise and application support through meetings, reports, and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with commercial teams and external partners to develop application solutions.
• Support trade shows, customer visits, and product demonstrations to promote capabilities.
• Develop and optimize formulations to address customer needs and drive commercialization.
• Design, conduct, and analyze lab experiments to evaluate ingredient performance.
• Prepare technical literature, guides, and customer-facing documentation.
• Manage multiple projects and ensure timely completion with accurate records.

Skills

Customer-facing communication

Presentation skills

Laboratory troubleshooting

Formulation development

Data interpretation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor of Science in Food Science

Master's degree preferred

Tools

ERP systems

LIMS

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Applications Food Scientist serves as a key customer-facing technical resource, partnering closely with commercial teams, customers, and industry stakeholders to demonstrate the value and functionality of our ingredients across food, nutraceutical, and personal care applications. This role plays a critical part in supporting sales growth, customer engagement, product commercialization, and business development initiatives through technical expertise, application support, and solution-driven problem solving.

The Applications Scientist also designs, executes, and interprets experiments that demonstrate ingredient performance in finished products, develops formulations that address customer needs, and translates scientific findings into practical application solutions. The position actively participates in customer visits, technical presentations, product demonstrations, trade shows, industry events, and technical consultations, helping strengthen customer relationships and showcase our company’s capabilities. Success in this role requires scientific curiosity, strong communication and presentation skills, customer focus, commercial awareness, adaptability, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide technical expertise and application support through customer meetings, presentations, virtual consultations, technical reports, and troubleshooting activities
• Collaborate with commercial teams, customers, scientists, operations, quality, regulatory, and external partners to develop application solutions that support customer success and business growth
• Support trade shows, technical seminars, customer visits, training programs, product demonstrations, and other business development initiatives to promote our ingredients and capabilities
• Develop and optimize formulations utilizing our ingredients to address customer needs, support innovation initiatives, and drive commercialization opportunities
• Assess, refine, and provide recommendations on new product concepts and prototypes as part of an iterative product development and commercialization process
• Design, conduct, and analyze laboratory experiments to evaluate ingredient functionality and performance in food, nutraceutical, and personal care applications
• Independently design testing protocols, experimental methodologies, and validation procedures aligned with project objectives, industry standards, and scientific best practices
• Evaluate finished product performance and characterize ingredient attributes using analytical techniques, laboratory instrumentation, and sensory assessment methodologies
• Generate technical literature, application guides, product documentation, customer-facing materials, summaries, and reports that translate scientific findings into actionable insights
• Effectively manage multiple projects and priorities while ensuring timely completion of assignments and deliverables
• Maintain accurate laboratory records, experimental data, and project documentation while adhering to safety, quality, and regulatory requirements
• Since this job is primarily focused on supporting the sales team and supporting the customer, this job requires traveling to cities and towns across the USA, to be in front of customers, put on technical product presentations, and help the sales team get new business. Overnight travel estimated to be 25% on average, but could be up to 40% on occasion.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or other science-based curriculum is required. Masters degree is desired.

Experience:

• 3 years minimum relevant industry experience is required (Internships or co-op assignments may apply to experience)
• Experience supporting customers, providing technical consultation, or partnering with commercial teams in a customer-facing environment is strongly preferred
• Strong knowledge of food chemistry, organic chemistry, ingredient functionality, and formulation science
• Extensive laboratory experience, including operation of laboratory equipment, analytical techniques, data collection, and safe laboratory practices

Required Skills:

• Strong customer-facing communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to effectively communicate technical information to diverse audiences
• Ability to collaborate effectively with customers, commercial teams, suppliers, and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver application solutions and support business objectives
• Demonstrated understanding of ingredient performance within food, nutraceutical, or personal care formulations
• Experience developing formulations, testing protocols, and technical documentation preferred
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience utilizing ERP systems, laboratory information management systems (LIMS), and other scientific software tools
• Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and drive projects to completion

We offer the successful candidate a generous compensation package (base salary plus bonus), medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401K with company match, generous PTO, and more. Financial relocation assistance will be provided on an as-needed basis. Must be a US Citizen or have a Green Card in order to be eligible for this job. Our client is not offering Visa sponsorship or OPT work.