Product Development Scientist (Reformulation)

Plexus Worldwide, LLC; Scottsdale, Northern (AZ, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plans

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Plexus Worldwide in Scottsdale, AZ, seeks a Product Development Scientist (Reformulation) to lead the scientific direction for renovating dietary supplements and delivery systems across U.S. and international markets.

You will partner with Marketing, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Procurement, and Co-Man teams to evolve legacy products with evidence-based formulation improvements, ensuring quality, supply continuity, and improved consumer outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Nutrition, Chemistry, Food Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related scientific discipline required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Certified Food Scientist (CFS) certification preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in dietary supplement formulation, product development, or commercialization required.
• 5+ years of experience preferred.
• Translate emerging scientific research into differentiated product improvements that strengthen efficacy and consumer value.
• Identify and solve complex formulation, stability, and manufacturing challenges with sound analysis.
• Lead multiple renovation initiatives simultaneously with balance of speed, quality, and regulatory compliance.
• Influence technical decisions across cross-functional teams and external manufacturing partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead scientifically rigorous renovation projects from assessment through commercialization.
• Develop and present at least 12 science-based renovation proposals annually.
• Improve product efficacy, stability, and consumer value through evidence-based changes.
• Strengthen substantiation and consumer-facing claims across the portfolio.
• Improve manufacturing reliability and supply continuity through proactive renovations.
• Identify alternative ingredients and suppliers to reduce risk and maintain quality.
• Mentor R&D staff and ensure audit-ready documentation and data.

Skills

Product formulation

Dietary supplement development

Renovation strategy

Cross-functional collaboration

Scientific data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Nutrition, Chemistry, Food Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related

Master’s degree preferred

Certified Food Scientist (CFS) preferred

Job description

Product Development Scientist (Reformulation)

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

Product Development Scientist (Reformulation)

The Role

Leads the scientific and technical direction of product renovation, lifecycle management, and continuous improvement for Plexus' portfolio of dietary supplements and functional delivery systems, including capsules, gummies, softgels, tablets, and ready-to-mix powders across U.S. and international markets.

Partners closely with Product Marketing, Operations, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Procurement, and global Contract Manufacturing Organizations (Co-Mans) to renovate legacy products, optimize formulations, strengthen scientific substantiation, improve consumer experience, and ensure long-term product performance. This role proactively identifies opportunities to evolve existing products using emerging science while supporting the product roadmap and innovation pipeline.

Unlike traditional product development roles, the Renovation Scientist serves as the technical owner of existing products—challenging the status quo, identifying opportunities for improvement, and driving scientifically sound changes that enhance efficacy, quality, manufacturability, supply continuity, and consumer satisfaction.

Employee Value Proposition

This is an opportunity to make a visible and lasting impact on products that thousands of Brand Ambassadors and customers already know and trust. As the Renovation Scientist, you will play a critical role in advancing Plexus' industry-leading portfolio by applying emerging science to enhance product performance, strengthen consumer benefits, and support the company's vision of becoming the world's leading gut health company. Working alongside a highly collaborative Product Development team, you will have the autonomy to challenge conventional thinking, influence product strategy, and lead meaningful renovation initiatives from concept through commercialization—seeing your scientific expertise directly improve the health and experience of consumers around the world.

Key Performance Objectives

Success in this role will be measured by the ability to:

• Develop and present 12 science-based renovation proposals annually that align with the product roadmap.
• Increase product efficacy, functionality, and consumer value through evidence-based formula improvements.
• Strengthen scientific substantiation and consumer-facing benefit claims across the product portfolio.
• Improve product stability, manufacturability, and supply resilience through proactive renovation initiatives.
• Reduce product performance issues through scientifically driven root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Identify opportunities to improve ingredient sourcing, quality, and formulation robustness before issues arise.

Performance Accountabilities

Deliver a minimum of 12 renovation proposals annually that are scientifically substantiated, commercially viable, and aligned with the product roadmap and lifecycle strategy.

Increase the performance of existing products by identifying and implementing evidence-based formulation improvements that strengthen efficacy, stability, functionality, consumer experience, and competitive differentiation.

Advance the scientific credibility of the product portfolio by incorporating emerging research—including microbiome science, probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, botanicals, and novel ingredients—to support stronger product positioning and consumer-relevant claims.

Improve product robustness and manufacturing reliability by proactively identifying formulation, ingredient, and process risks and implementing solutions that enhance stability, manufacturability, shelf life, and supply continuity.

Reduce technical and supply risk by qualifying alternative raw materials and second-source suppliers that maintain product performance, regulatory compliance, and global availability.

Lead scientifically rigorous renovation projects from technical assessment through commercialization, ensuring cross-functional alignment, timely execution, and successful implementation of formulation improvements.

Improve consumer satisfaction and product performance by leading root cause investigations into product quality issues, stability failures, sensory deviations, and consumer feedback, implementing corrective actions that prevent recurrence.

Influence technical decision-making across the organization by serving as the scientific authority for product renovations, providing data-driven recommendations that guide Product Marketing, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Procurement, and Executive Leadership.

Challenge the status quo by independently identifying opportunities for continuous improvement, driving renovation initiatives based on scientific evidence rather than relying solely on external manufacturing partners for recommendations.

Build organizational technical capability by mentoring R&D Specialists and ensuring scientific documentation, technical data, and project records are complete, accurate, and audit-ready.

Performance Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Nutrition, Chemistry, Food Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related scientific discipline required.

Master's degree preferred.

Certified Food Scientist (CFS) certification preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in dietary supplement formulation, product development, or commercialization required.
• 5+ years of experience preferred.
• Translate emerging scientific research into differentiated product improvements that strengthen efficacy, consumer experience, and commercial value.
• Identify and solve complex formulation, stability, and manufacturing challenges through sound scientific analysis and evidence-based decision building.
• Lead multiple renovation initiatives simultaneously, delivering high-quality outcomes while balancing speed, quality, regulatory compliance, and business priorities.
• Influence technical decisions across cross-functional teams and external manufacturing partners, driving alignment without direct authority.
• Evaluate ingredients, suppliers, and formulation strategies to improve product performance, reduce supply risk, and support global commercialization.
• Communicate complex scientific concepts with clarity, enabling informed decisions by both technical and business stakeholders.
• Take ownership of technical outcomes, proactively identifying opportunities for continuous improvement rather than relying on external partners to drive innovation.
• Maintain exceptional standards of scientific integrity, product quality, and consumer focus, consistently seeking opportunities to elevate the performance of the existing product portfolio.

About Plexus

Founded in gut health. Experts in microbiome. Plexus Worldwide®, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a renowned direct-selling company recognized as a top employer. Over the past 18 years, Plexus has dedicated itself to promoting hope, health, and happiness through its scientifically backed, innovative dietary supplements, weight management products, and personal care products, sold primarily through Plexus Brand Ambassadors. As a six-time Best Places to Work awardee, Blue Zone-approved employer, and an AZ Most Admired Company, Plexus prides itself on its robust organizational culture and commitment to community support and philanthropy. Our team is driven by a shared mission to empower individuals to achieve their health and wellness goals while offering additional income through the sale of products. Join us to be part of a team that values people, innovation, wellness, and community impact.

• Highly rated and competitive medical plans.
• 401 (k) with company match and immediate vesting.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Plexus Worldwide’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.