RD&A Scientist - Spray Drying

Kerry; Beloit (WI); On-site; USD 70,100 - 109,050; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

401(k) plan

Employee share plan

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Kerry is seeking an RD&A Associate Scientist to support scale-up, optimization, and continuous improvement of powder manufacturing processes across multiple production facilities in Beloit.

You will partner with RD&A, Operations, Quality, and Manufacturing teams to drive process efficiency, productivity improvements, cost savings, and product consistency from development through full-scale production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related scientific discipline
• 3–5 years of experience in powder formulation, processing and manufacturing
• Experience supporting manufacturing environments and cross-functional project teams (preferred)

Responsibilities

• Scale up, transfer, and optimize powder production processes across sites.
• Identify and implement improvements to enhance yield, quality and cost efficiency.
• Analyze manufacturing data to investigate variances and root causes.
• Develop corrective actions to address operational challenges.
• Support trials, start-ups, and process validation activities.
• Assist formulation reviews to improve process capability and product consistency.
• Scale products from pilot to commercial manufacturing.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful implementation.

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

We are seeking an RD&A Associate Scientist to support the scale-up, optimization, and continuous improvement of powder manufacturing processes across multiple production facilities. This role will partner closely with RD&A, Operations, Quality, and Manufacturing teams to drive process efficiency, productivity improvements, cost savings, and product consistency.

The successful candidate will leverage technical expertise in powder processing, formulation, and analytical characterization to troubleshoot manufacturing challenges, implement process improvements, and support commercialization activities from development through full-scale production.

Key responsibilities

Process Optimization & Manufacturing Support

• Collaborate with Beloit RD&A teams and manufacturing sites to scale up, transfer, and optimize powder production processes.
• Identify and implement process improvements that enhance productivity, yield, quality, and cost efficiency.
• Analyze manufacturing and production data to investigate process variances and identify root causes.
• Develop and execute corrective actions to address operational challenges and improve performance.
• Support manufacturing plants during production trials, start-ups, and process validation activities.
• Support formulation reviews and updates to improve process capability and product consistency.
• Assist in scaling products from pilot to commercial manufacturing.
• Evaluate process impacts on product functionality, quality, and customer requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful product implementation and commercialization.

Documentation & Technical Compliance

• Maintain and oversee documentation control for manufacturing and development activities.
• Prepare batch records, process change requests, and technical documentation required to implement approved modifications.
• Ensure technical documentation remains accurate, current, and compliant with internal standards.

Data Analysis & Cost Improvement

• Create and maintain product and process cost-analysis tools and templates.
• Quantify the value of process improvements and validate benefits before and after implementation.
• Monitor key manufacturing metrics, including yield, productivity, waste reduction, and operational efficiency.
• Present technical findings and recommendations to stakeholders across the business.

Qualifications and skills

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Food Science, Dairy Science, Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.

Experience

• 3–5 years of experience in:
• Powder formulation and processing
• Powder manufacturing operations
• Process optimization and scale-up
• Analytical characterization of food powders
• Strong foundation in Dairy Chemistry preferred.
• Experience supporting manufacturing environments and cross-functional project teams.

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. 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, and accident insurance, and tuition reimbursement.

This job posting is anticipated to expire on September 30th, 2026.

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).