Food Scientist / Sr. Food Scientist

CPS, Inc.; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

CPS, Inc. is seeking a Food Scientist to lead development, optimization, and plant scale-up of value-added seafood and vegetable products.

From bench concepts to commercial production, ensure taste, texture, quality, and profitability while aligning with quality and food safety requirements. The role partners across Procurement, Operations, QA, and Category Management to meet milestones, evaluate new ingredients and processing tech, and drive scalable formulations for frozen distribution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in food science or related field.
• 3-8 years of product development in a food processing environment; seafood, chicken, or value-added protein manufacturing experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of seafood protein functionality, coating systems, freezing technologies, and thawing kinetics.
• Working knowledge of FDA Seafood HACCP requirements, GMP, labeling regulations, and sanitation protocols for wet and frozen processing environments.
• Ability to define problems, collect and analyze data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Strong project management skills, including prioritization, timelines, and cross-functional deliverables.
• Proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally with Procurement, Operations, QA, and Category Management.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with proficiency in Excel and Word.

Responsibilities

• Lead new product development activities for value-added seafood and vegetable products from bench-top concept through commercialization.
• Develop innovative value-added products including battered, breaded, marinated, glazed, and ready-to-cook items.
• Formulate batters, breading, marinades, glazes, and flavor systems optimized for frozen storage and varied reheating methods.
• Research and evaluate new products, ingredients, coatings, and technologies to improve quality and value.
• Develop and maintain product specifications aligned with customer, quality, and production requirements.
• Lead plant trials and commercial line trials to scale formulations for large-scale frozen production.
• Evaluate ingredient functionality to improve water-holding capacity and reduce purge.
• Conduct sensory testing, texture analysis, and assess product performance over time.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, allergen labeling, and regulatory requirements including Seafood HACCP.
• Build customer relationships and provide technical support through presentations, meetings, trade shows, and site visits.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Product development

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Project management

Communication

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Regulatory compliance

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in food science

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Job description

The Food Scientist leads the development, optimization, and plant scale-up of value-added seafood and vegetable products, including battered, breaded, marinated, and ready-to-cook items. This role works cross-functionally to create products that meet customer requirements and deliver consistent taste, texture, quality, and profitability for client company. This role supports products from bench-top concept through commercial production by ensuring formulas, processes, and specifications are practical, scalable, and aligned with quality and food safety requirements.

Essential Duties:

• Lead new product development activities for value-added seafood and vegetable products, from bench-top concept through commercialization.
• Develop, innovative, value-added products, including battered, breaded, marinated, glazed, and ready-to-cook items.
• Formulate functional batters, breading, marinades, glazes, and flavor systems optimized for frozen storage and customer reheating methods, including oven, air-fryer, and deep-fry applications.
• Research and evaluate new products, ingredients, coating, flavor, and processing technologies that can improve product quality, efficiency, or customer value.
• Develop and maintain product specifications that are accurate, manufacturable, and aligned with customer, quality, and production requirements.
• Lead plant trials and commercial manufacturing line trials to transition new formulations into large-scale frozen production.
• Evaluate ingredient functionality, including starches, hydrocolloids, and phosphates, to improve water-holding capacity, reduce purge loss, and support product quality during frozen distribution.
• Conduct sensory testing, texture analysis, and evaluate product performance, stability, and quality over time.
• Ensure formulations, raw materials, specifications, and processing steps comply with applicable food safety, quality, allergen labeling, and regulatory requirements, including Seafood HACCP requirements.
• Build customer relationships and provide technical support through product presentations, sales meetings, trade shows, seminars, and customer visits.
• Other duties and project as assigned.

Salary

$80,000 - $120,000

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in food science or a closely related field.
• 3-8 years of product development experience in a food processing environment; seafood, chicken, or value-added protein manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of seafood protein functionality, coating systems, freezing technologies, and thawing kinetics; breading and battering experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of FDA Seafood HACCP requirements, Good Manufacturing Practices, labeling regulations, and sanitation protocols for wet and frozen processing environments.
• Ability to define problems, collect and analyze data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage priorities, timelines, and cross-functional deliverables.
• Proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally with Procurement, Operations, Quality Assurance, and Category Management to meet project milestones.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain technical information clearly to internal and external audiences.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.