RD&A Scientist - Colors

Kerry; Beloit (WI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401(k) plan

Employee Share Plan

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Kerry is seeking a Color Application Scientist to join our Kerry Colors team. You will integrate natural color solutions into foods, beverages, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical applications, translating color ingredients into stable, vibrant products.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive innovation and customer success, with hands-on product development from concept to commercialization. A strong background in color chemistry and instrumentation is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience developing natural colorants for food, beverage, nutraceuticals, or pharmaceuticals.
• Strong knowledge of color chemistry and ingredient interactions.
• Ability to formulate color solutions in complex matrices.
• Proficiency with instrumental color measurement techniques.

Responsibilities

• Lead color application projects across diverse product applications.
• Identify natural color ingredients to support product commercialization.
• Formulate and optimize liquid colors, powders, emulsions, and dry blends.
• Develop color systems for visual appeal, consistency, and stability.
• Design stability studies under processing and storage conditions.
• Analyze data and provide scientifically driven recommendations.
• Serve as technical expert for color-related challenges.
• Investigate color fading, migration, oxidation, and interactions.

Skills

Hands-on color development

Color chemistry

Data-driven stability evaluation

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's/Master's/PhD in Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Science or related

Tools

Spectrophotometry

UV-Visible analysis

Job description

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

Kerry is seeking a highly skilled Color Application Scientist to join our Kerry Colors team. In this role, you will focus on integrating natural color solutions into a broad range of food, beverage, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical applications. You will play a critical role in translating color ingredients into stable, vibrant, and commercially successful products while collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive innovation and customer success.

This position is ideal for a scientist who enjoys hands‑on product development, technical problem-solving, and bringing innovative natural color solutions from concept through commercialization.

Key responsibilities

• Lead color application projects by developing optimal color solutions across diverse food, beverage, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical applications.
• Identify and recommend appropriate natural color ingredients to support successful product commercialization.
• Formulate and optimize liquid colors, powders, emulsions, suspensions, and dry-blend systems to achieve exceptional color performance and uniform delivery.
• Develop color systems that meet customer expectations for visual appeal, consistency, and stability.
• Design and execute stability studies to evaluate color performance under various processing and storage conditions.Assess color stability through exposure to thermal processing, pH variation, light exposure, oxidation, and shelf‑life aging.
• Analyze data and provide scientifically driven recommendations to improve product performance.
• Serve as the technical expert for color‑related application challenges.
• Investigate and resolve issues related to color fading, migration, precipitation, oxidation, and ingredient interactions.
• Develop innovative formulation solutions to improve performance across complex product matrices.

Qualifications and skills

Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Science or a related scientific discipline.

Hands‑on experience developing and applying natural colorants in food and beverage systems.

Strong understanding of color chemistry and ingredient interactions.

Experience formulating color solutions in complex food and beverage matrices.

Proficiency with instrumental color measurement techniques, including:

• Spectrophotometry
• UV-Visible analysis

Experience conducting data‑driven stability evaluations and interpreting results.

The pay range for this position is $70,100 - $109,050 in Annual Salary. Kerry typically does not hire an individual at the top or near the top of the range, as we are a pay-for-performance company, and this range is set to continue to reward performance annually while in role. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. The specific compensation offered to a candidate within the above range may be influenced by a variety of factors including skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity. This job posting is anticipated to expire on Sep 30th, 2016.

Kerry offers a competitive benefits package, including

• medical
• dental
• vision
• paid time off
• a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities
• Employee Share Plan
• Life
• disability
• accident insurance
• tuition reimbursement

Kerry is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. Kerry will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen. Additional information can be found at: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (dol.gov).