Food Scientist - Meat

Grecian Delight | Kronos Food Corp; Elk Grove Village (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision insurance

401(k) plan with matching

Life & AD&D insurance

Job summary

Grecian Delight | Kronos Foods Corp is seeking a Food Scientist – Meat at our Elk Grove Village location to lead meat and plant-based product development from concept to commercialization.

You will work cross-functionally with Operations, Quality and Purchasing to deliver innovative products, optimize formulas, and reduce costs while meeting regulatory and sensory standards. A BS or MS in Food Science with 3+ years of experience is required.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Food Science or related area with at least 3 years of product development.
• Experience in food manufacturing environment.
• USDA meat protein product development experience.
• Experience with Esha Genesis or equivalent nutritional program is a plus.
• In-depth experience in ingredients, flavors, and their functionalities.
• Strong technical knowledge.
• Solid written and verbal communication skills at all organizational levels.
• Microsoft Suite proficiency.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple development projects with emphasis on meat protein, plant-based protein and sauces, both new products and improvements of current products.
• Assume technical leadership from concept development through successful commercialization. Recommend new product concepts to take to development.
• Investigate product and process challenges, provide creative solutions, and solve challenges in development and commercialization.
• Work cross functionally (Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Purchasing) to determine equipment, materials and processes to produce products maximizing capacity and quality.
• Identify and complete technical study of ingredients, suppliers, co-packers relevant to meeting project objectives and company standards.
• Assure technically sound sensory panels are conducted for product development, shelf-life studies, improving/maintaining present products and competitive testing.
• Identify and make recommendations for process improvements using scientific techniques, design experimentation to improve formulation, process, or equipment.
• Familiarize and evaluate competitive products in the marketplace to determine market opportunities for new products and application recommendations for current products.
• Provide raw material information and formulas to regulatory personnel to create nutritional and products analysis, and nutritional fact panels.

Skills

Strong technical knowledge

Written and verbal communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS or MS in Food Science

Tools

Esha Genesis

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Grecian Delight Foods, 1201 Tonne, Elk Grove Village, Illinois, United States of America

Job Description

Posted Monday, August 3, 2026 at 6:00 AM | Expires Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 5:59 AM

Grecian Delight | Kronos Foods (“GDK”) stands at the forefront as a premier provider of authentic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. Our portfolio, featuring gyros, specialty meats, pitas, flatbreads, tzatziki, hummus, spreads, falafel, ready-to-eat and plant-based proteins, along with value-added bakery products, reflects our commitment to quality and authenticity. Serving over 400 foodservice distributors, 30,000 independent and national chain restaurants, and marking our presence in the top 40 U.S. retailers, we continue to enrich dining experiences with the flavors of the Mediterranean.

We are seeking Food Scientist – Meat to be located at our Elk Grove Village location reporting to Research & Development Manager. As our Food Scientist - Meat you will be responsible for leading meat product development (beef, pork, poultry), plant-based protein product development; develop new formulas, processing procedures and specifications for new products, product enhancements and cost reductions.

What you will do…

• Lead multiple development projects with an emphasis on meat protein, plant-based protein and sauces, both new products and improvements of current products.
• Assume technical leadership of assigned projects from concept development through successful commercialization. Recommend new product concepts to take to development.
• Investigate product and process challenges, provide creative solutions, and solve challenges in development and commercialization.
• Work cross functionally (Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Purchasing) to determine equipment, materials and processes necessary to produce products to maximize capacity and optimize quality and differentiation.
• Identify and complete technical study of ingredients, suppliers, co-packers relevant to meeting project objectives and company standards.
• Assure technically sound sensory panels are conducted for product development, shelf-life studies, improving/maintaining present products and competitive testing.
• Identify and make recommendations for process improvements using scientific techniques, design experimentation to improve formulation, process, or equipment to deliver finished products that meet defined internal and external customer parameters.
• Familiarize and evaluate competitive products in the marketplace to determine market opportunities for new products and application recommendations for current products.
• Provide raw material information and formulas to regulatory personnel to create nutritional and products analysis, and nutritional fact panels.

What you will bring…

• BS or MS degree in Food Science or related area with at least 3 years of product development.
• Experience in food manufacturing environment.
• Previous USDA meat protein product development experience.
• Experience working with Esha Genesis or equivalent nutritional program is a plus.
• Experience in food manufacturing environment.
• In-depth experience in ingredients, flavors, and their functionalities.
• Strong technical knowledge.
• Solid written and verbal communication skills at all organizational levels.
• Computer Skills in include Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)

Why work with us…

At Grecian Delight | Kronos Foods, we understand that fulfilling our mission involves a blend of innovation and reverence for tradition—a challenge that demands exceptional dedication from our team. We hold high expectations, but we are equally committed to supporting our employees. This commitment is reflected in our pledge to provide a respectful work environment, fair compensation, and abundant opportunities for professional growth. Our community standards are built on the pillars of equal employment opportunities, respectful dialogue and actions, integrity, and accountability

What we offer…

• Highly competitive compensation and bonus programs
• Medical, Dental and Vision options for you and your family
• Safe-harbor 401(k) Plan with generous matching and immediate vesting
• Life, AD&D, Short and Long-term Disability Programs
• Health, Dependent Care, & Commuter Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Account Contributions
• Additional Voluntary Benefit Programs
• Paid Vacations and Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Target Base Salary:

$85,000-$100,000 annually, plus eligibility for a 10% annual performance bonus.

Grecian Delight | Kronos Foods Corp is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, marital status, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Grecian Delight Foods, 1201 Tonne, Elk Grove Village, Illinois, United States of America