Food Scientist - Poultry

Tyson Foods, Inc.; Springdale (AR); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

401(k) plan

Health benefits

Job summary

Tyson Foods, Inc. is seeking Food Scientist I–II level scientists to develop and commercialize new and improved products, guiding projects from concept through commercialization.

The role covers recipe creation, labeling accuracy, and regulatory compliance, with emphasis on applied food science and process optimization. The position requires strong analytical skills, collaboration across functions, and execution of cook validation studies to ensure food safety and restaurant-ready quality.

Qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in Food Science, Meat Science, or Food Engineering.
• Experience in R&D for poultry product development preferred.
• Strong knowledge of ingredients, formulation and food safety.

Responsibilities

• Lead development from concept to commercialization with guidance.
• Plan, execute experiments, analyze data, report results.
• Collaborate with marketing, QA, operations, and suppliers.
• Develop prototypes and optimize products for cost and labeling.
• Conduct cook validations and ensure food safety.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Strong communication

Project management

Team collaboration

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Food Science or related

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Job Details

Applying to this requisition will put you into considering for Food Scientist I, Food Scientist II, Senior Foods Scientist I, or Senior Food Scientist II - Level will be determined through the interview process.

Summary

This position is responsible for developing and commercializing new and improved products and/or processes through guidance from their manager. This covers all stages of product development and process development including writing new product specifications, and ensuring regulatory labeling and food safety requirements are met. Additional responsibilities include developing samples/prototypes of new products, modifying existing products, optimizing existing products, developing specifications for product production labeling, and compiling cost analysis information. The person in this position will have a strong working knowledge of the scientific methods and is expected to leverage knowledge related to ingredients, product formulation and food processing to support best in class development of new, innovative food products. In addition, the person in this role will lead and execute cook validations for products in support of commercialization workstreams. This will include planning, conducting, documenting, and communicating cook validation studies across products, production lines, and fryer platforms to verify food safety, enable optimized cooking procedures, and support consistent restaurant quality.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Working with and strongly influencing marketing, insights, sales, culinary, FSQA, operations and purchasing departments, coordinating with suppliers of ingredients, ensuring smooth start-up for new product production processesModifying or optimizing existing products, developing specifications for product production labeling, and compiling cost analysis information.
• Work multiple development and optimization projects of moderate complexity, independently, from concept through commercialization with guidance from manager.
• This includes planning, executing experiments, analyzing data, reporting results.
• Execute the development process with activities that include bench top development, pilot plant testing, and scale-up production at a federally inspected research facility and final commercialization at full scale production facilityStrong working knowledge of the following is a plus: poultry new product development and optimization including battered and breaded products as well as water jet portioning technologies.
• Help team to identify innovation that is treated as IP that can give Tyson a competitive edge in the industry
• Analyze data to build product specifications that are process capable
• Present technical data or concepts to laypersons on their level of understanding
• Compile cost analysis information and provide to product management
• Ensure costing structure meets the financial expectations of projects
• Work on cross functional teams across the organization for project completion that will ultimately help achieve our growth and EBIT strategies
• Travel to plant production facilities
• Take on and complete special projects as needed.
• Develop culinary samples/prototypes of new products, modifying existing products, optimizing existing products, developing specifications
• Develop product production labels and compile cost analysis information
• Strong working knowledge of the scientific methods and is expected to leverage knowledge related to ingredients, product formulation and food processing to support best in class development of new, innovative food products
• Work with and influence cross functional team members (marketing, insights, sales, culinary, FSQA, operations and purchasing departments, coordinating with suppliers of ingredients) while ensuring smooth start-up for new product production processes
• Work with process development to develop process flow charts for engineering
• Ability and Initiative to grow within the organization and develop a personal development plan with your manager

Requirements for Senior Food Scientist II

• Education & Experience:BS MS or PhD in Food Science Meat Science Food Engineering or related field. Related degree with minimum of 8 years relevant Research and Development work experience. No degree with minimum of 15 years relevant experience

Requirements for Senior Food Scientist I

• Education & Experience:BS MS or PhD in Food Science Meat Science Food Engineering or related field. PhD with minimum of 2 years of relevant experience M.S. with minimum of 3 years of relevant experience B.S. with minimum of 5 years of relevant experience No degree with minimum of 10 years relevant experience

Requirements for Food Scientist II

• Education & Education:BS MS or PhD in Food Science Meat Science Food Engineering or related field. Alt. Protein science or equivalent Experience: PhD with no experience. M.S. with minimum of 2 years of relevant experience B.S. with minimum of 3 years of relevant experience. No degree with minimum of 8 years relevant experience

Requirements for Food Scientist I

• Education & Experience:BS MS or PhD in Food Science Meat Science Food Engineering or related field. PhD or M.S with no experience. B.S. with minimum of 2 years of relevant experience. No degree with minimum of 8 years relevant experience

Computer Skills

Requires good computer skills with ability to fully utilize MS Office products and Tyson systems (or like systems).

Communication Skills

Good verbal and written communication skills required, presentation skills required, must have the ability to effectively communicate with cross functional business partners

Special Skills

Strong critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills, strong project management skills. Strong numerical skills, understanding of product formulation, food processing and the Research and Development process, understanding of regulatory labeling and food safety requirements

Supervisory

May supervise a team of hourly technicians that support a team of scientists.

Travel

Minimum 25% (12+ trips a year)

Travel Details

Travel will be required to accomplish our internal and external customer needsThis includes customer meetings, visiting production facilities for testing and commercialization of new products, process trouble shooting and any other regular business needs.

Relocation Assistance

Eligible:Yes

Work Shift

1ST SHIFT (United States of America)

Background Checks

Certain roles at Tyson require background checks. If you are offered a position that requires a background check you will be provided additional documentation to complete once an offer has been extended.

Hourly Applicants

Hourly Applicants ONLY -You must complete the task after submitting your application to provide additional information to be considered for employment.

Physical Requirements

The successful candidate(s) must be willing and able to perform the physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Tyson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, national origin, color, religion, age, genetics, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.

Benefits

We provide our team members and their families with paid time off; 401(k) plans; affordable health, life, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; and more.

Privacy Notice

If you would like to learn more about your data privacy rights and how you may use that information, please read our Job Applicant Privacy Notice here.