Food Scientist II

Zentis Group; Plymouth (IN); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Zentis in Plymouth, Indiana is seeking a Food Scientist II in Research & Development to lead new product projects and drive innovations in beverages, ice cream, bakery fillings, and dairy applications. You will collaborate with Sales, Operations, Quality, Procurement, and Manufacturing to deliver customer and business objectives, design experiments, scale up processes, and ensure Right-First-Time results.

The role requires 5–8 years in food R&D, a B.S.

Qualifications

• Minimum B.S. in Food Science or related field.
• 5–8 years R&D experience in related product areas; M.S. with related thesis acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development projects from concept to commercialization with cross-functional teams.
• Design and execute complex experimental plans and validate formulations.
• Lead scale-up and commercialization activities with manufacturing and quality teams to meet RFT targets.
• Assist with cost and productivity improvements without compromising quality.

Skills

Proactive attitude

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Independent decision making

Customer presentations

Data analysis

Functional ingredients knowledge

Thermal processing knowledge

Scale-up experience

Willingness to travel

Education

B.S. in Food Science or related field

M.S. with related thesis acceptable

Tools

Microsoft Office 365

SAP

Job description

Zentis is Europe's number one fruit processing company and one of the leading brand manufacturers of jams, sweets, and custard-based desserts. The Company's North America operations are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Plymouth, Indiana, where we produce fruit and dairy preparations for a variety of customers including yogurt, ice cream and bakery manufacturers. We are currently looking to recruit a Food Scientist II for our Plymouth location.

The Food Scientist II in Research & Development is responsible for developing new products and technologies with strategic importance to Zentis, ultimately leading to the growth and stability of the business. This is accomplished by fostering close interactions with Sales and Zentis customers to effectively manage projects and develop new business.

The Food Scientist II is also responsible for managing the direction of individual projects in the business by monitoring the external market for consumer trends, new ingredients and processing technologies. As a participant in the global Zentis R&D community, the Food Scientist II interacts with colleagues in other Zentis locations to seek assistance on projects and offer ideas to others working in similar applications. Areas of focus for projects may include beverages, ice cream, bakery fillings and glazes and dairy or dairy-alternative product applications.

Primary Responsibilities

• Independently leads product development projects from concept through commercialization, partnering directly with Sales, Operations, Quality, Procurement, and Manufacturing to deliver customer and business objectives. Utilizes DMS and MES systems to develop, optimize, and commercialize formulations while ensuring manufacturability and cost targets are achieved. Applies strong project management skills to manage multiple priorities, identify risks, and drive timely decisions across cross-functional teams. Serves as a primary technical contact during customer interactions and confidently presents concepts, technical recommendations, and project updates. Anticipates technical challenges and develops innovative solutions that balance customer requirements, operational capabilities, and business needs. Provides guidance and technical support to junior scientists and technicians.
• Designs and executes complex experimental plans using statistical analysis to develop products, optimize processes, and resolve product quality challenges. Independently establishes product specifications, process parameters, and validation criteria that balance customer requirements, manufacturing capability, and business objectives. Evaluates existing analytical methods and develops enhanced testing approaches to improve product understanding, troubleshooting, and quality assurance. Partners directly with suppliers, customers, laboratories, and industry resources to benchmark practices, evaluate new technologies, and align testing methodologies with industry standards. Provides technical guidance to junior scientists in experimental design, data interpretation, and problem-solving methodologies.
• Leads successful scale-up and commercialization activities to consistently achieve Right-First-Time (RFT) targets while balancing customer expectations, product quality, operational efficiency, and cost requirements. Applies advanced knowledge of ingredient functionality, processing conditions, and manufacturing capabilities across multiple facilities and production lines to proactively identify commercialization risks. Designs and executes pilot plant and intermediary scale-up plans to validate formulations and manufacturing processes prior to full-scale production. Partners closely with Operations, Quality, Procurement, and Production teams to resolve startup challenges and implement effective corrective actions. Independently leads investigations involving formulation, ingredient, or process-related failures and develops sustainable solutions to improve future commercialization success.
• Assist with cost and productivity improvement initiatives as needed to ensure that product quality and customer requirements are not compromised.
• Set up systems and programs to maintain development laboratories in a neat and organized manner to allow for efficient operation by utilizing designated procedures and systems. Suggest upgrades as needed.
• Build expertise in Zentis’ business areas through collaboration with other Scientists. Share knowledge during project work to support business success and contribute to the development of other team members

Formal Education Required

• Minimum: B.S. in Food Science, Food Engineering, Culinology or related food technical field. Also open to consider Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biology degrees.

Specific Experience and Key Knowledge Requirements

• Minimum 5-8 years food industry R&D experience in related product areas or 4-7 yrs experience with a M.S. degree and related thesis; expertise in formulation, process scale-up, food regulations, use of functional ingredients such as stabilizers (starches, pectins gums), colors, flavors, texturizing ingredients and fruit formulations. Inclination to understand problems and find sustainable solutions. Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Special Skills and Abilities Required

• Positive, proactive work ethic
• Strong organizational, communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to make decisions and solve problems independently and through collaboration with others
• Comfortable presenting technical information to customers and internal partners
• Ability to analyze quantitative data and summarize findings
• Strong familiarity with functional ingredients, product formulations, thermal processes and production scale equipment
• Strong computer software programs proficiency Microsoft Office 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook. Familiarity with SAP and formula management applications a plus.
• Ability to represent the company externally in a professional and supportive manner.
• Able to travel to support business initiatives.