Food Scientist I

westrockcoffeeexternaljobs; Concord (NC); On-site; USD 54,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

WestRock Coffee seeks a Food Scientist I to develop new products across Coffee, Tea and Extracts from concept to commercialization. You will work with sales, customers, and cross-functional teams to innovate, optimize, and customize ingredients.

Responsibilities include developing prototypes, maintaining records, supporting technical applications, and evaluating raw materials with regulatory and sensory considerations. Travel with senior staff may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering or related field is required.
• Strong understanding of food science principles.
• Experience with sensory evaluation techniques.
• Experience generating nutritional data and regulatory knowledge (USDA & FDA).
• Familiarity with SQF quality systems and regulatory requirements.
• Able to manage data electronically and produce accurate lab records.

Responsibilities

• Develop new product prototypes and optimize existing products.
• Improve products by optimizing attributes and records (formulas, specs, nutrition).
• Provide technical support to customers and sales; collaborate with R&D onsite.
• Collaborate on cross-functional product development teams.

Skills

Sensory evaluation

Analytical thinking

Data management

PC skills

Travel flexibility

Creativity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering or related field

Job description

Working with some supervision, the Food Scientist I is responsible for the development of new products across Coffee, Tea and Extracts from concept to commercialization. Requires work with multi-disciplinary groups to innovate, optimize and customize food ingredients. Consults directly with sales and customers to meet expectations.

Primary Job Functions:

• Product Development
• Project Requests
• Technical Support
• Raw material assessment
• Additional tasks or projects outside "core" responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

Product Development

• Develop new product prototypes and optimization to existing products
• Improve existing products by optimizing product attributes
• Develop and maintain accurate records related to the products such as formulas, label development, production process, HACCP, product specification, nutritional data, shelf life, etc.
• Participate on product development teams and cross-functional teams as applicable

Project Requests

• Completes project requests as assigned
• Provide basic application samples and usage recommendations, as needed

Technical Support

• Provide technical support to customers seeking product information and advice as it pertains to product application/usage levels
• Travel with senior staff and Salesperson on customer demonstrations; work with R&D on site.
• Provide comprehensive reports on basic data analysis and summaries

Raw Material Assessment

• Evaluate and analyze risk of new or existing ingredients
• Evaluate new raw materials and conduct sensory analysis with a cross-functional group.
• Evaluate technical specification documentation for compliance with S&D requirements

Additional tasks or projects outside "core" responsibility

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering or related field
• 0-5 years of Product Development experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Understanding of food science principles
• Sensory skills and knowledge of sensory evaluation techniques.
• Experience and knowledge with nutritional data generation and regulatory requirements from USDA and FDA as well as State and local health and food safety code.
• Knowledge of SQF quality systems and related requirements.
• Combination of analytical skills and creative thinking.
• Must have excellent PC computer skills and ability to manage data electronically.
• Self-motivated, outgoing, self-starter
• Must be hard working, reliable and accurate, and able to produce quality lab work at high work load.
• Must be willing to travel when needed.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Vets / Disabled