Research Scientist

fairlife; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Job summary

fairlife, LLC in Chicago is seeking a Research Scientist to be the SME in dairy chemistry and processing interactions, bridging fundamental science with large-scale manufacturing. This hands-on role will design science-backed strategies that address quality challenges and enable breakthrough RTD protein products.

You will lead mechanistic investigations, transfer new methods to QA labs, and collaborate with Product Development, Operations, and Engineering to optimize formulation and processing

Qualifications

• Education: MSc or PhD in Dairy Science, Food Science, Food Engineering, or a closely related field with focus on physical chemistry or advanced processing.
• Experience: 1-3 (PhD) or 2-5 (MSc) years of progressive dairy/food research, spanning lab bench work and pilot plant scale-up.
• Technical Mastery: Dairy/Food Physical Chemistry; understanding protein–fat–enzyme–mineral interactions during manufacturing and shelf-life.
• Analytical Toolset: Proficiency with rheology, chromatography, particle size, and compositional analyses.
• Technical Writing: Strong ability to author technical reports and white papers.

Responsibilities

• Mechanistic Research & Root-Cause Investigation: bridge lab and plant, map critical quality attributes, define challenges on the source.
• Hypothesis to Scale: design research plans to validate mechanisms behind stability, age-gelation, sedimentation, and flavor kinetics.
• Translational Science: move bench solutions to pilot and commercial trials; translate data into actionable leadership recommendations.

Skills

Dairy Chemistry

Food Chemistry

Rheology

Chromatography

Particle Size

Technical Writing

Data Analysis

Education

MSc or PhD in Dairy Science or Food Science

Tools

Rheology Equipment

Chromatography

Particle Size Analysis

Job description

fairlife, LLC is a Chicago-based nutrition company that creates great-tasting, nutrition-rich and dairy products to nourish consumers.

With over $3B in annual retail sales, fairlife’s portfolio of delicious, lactose-free, real dairy products includes: fairlife® ultra-filtered milk; Core Power® High Protein Shakes, a sports nutrition drink to support post-workout recovery; fairlife® nutrition plan™, a nutrition shake to support the journey to better health.

A wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola company, fairlife, LLC has been recognized by both Fast Company and Nielsen for its industry leading innovation.

To learn more about fairlife and its complete line of products, please visit fairlife.com .

job purpose :

We are seeking a highly motivated Research Scientist to serve as the subject matter expert in dairy chemistry and process interactions. This role bridges fundamental molecular science with large-scale manufacturing and engineering applications. This is a hands-on, research-forward opportunity to develop a deep, mechanistic understanding of the chemical, physical, and organoleptic changes that occur in dairy matrices during processing and over a product's shelf life. You won't just collect and track data – you will design the science-backed strategies that alleviate quality challenges and unlock our next generation of breakthrough RTD protein products.

responsibilities:

Mechanistic Research & Root-Cause Investigation

• Own the Problem Statement: Bridge the gap between the lab and the plant. Spend time on the manufacturing floor and in QA labsto mapcritical quality attributesand define complex technical challenges at their source.
• Hypothesis to Scale: Design comprehensive research plans to validate the underlying mechanisms behind product stability, age-gelation, sedimentation, and flavor kinetics.
• Translational Science: Test solutions from bench-top prototypes through pilot plant validation, culminating in commercial-scale trials. Translate data into clear, actionable recommendations for cross-functional leadership.

Advanced Analytics & Method Transfer

• Method Innovation: Proactively identify gaps in our current testing protocols. Evaluate, develop, and validate new analytical methods—specifically focusing on rheology, particle size distribution, chromatography, and volatile profiling.
• KnowledgeTransfer: Draft robust SOPs and technical playbooks. Act as the lead Subject Matter Expert (SME) to transfer these new methods to plant QA labs, providing hands-on training to operational teams across all manufacturing sites.

Process Optimization & Technical Advocacy:

• Predictive Quality: Apply your deep understanding of milk protein chemistry (e.g., casein-wheyinteractions, mineral balance) to partner with Product Development and Operations, optimizing formulation and processing choices for fluid dairy beverages.
• Efficiency & Sustainability: Identify opportunities for process optimization that improve yield, thermal efficiency and product shelf life, acting as a technical leader across Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain.
• Team Growth: While starting as an individual contributor, you will have the immediate opportunity to mentor junior team members and build a small team (1–2 direct reports) of technicians or junior scientists as your workstreams expand.

skills/qualifications required:

required qualifications

• Education: MSc or PhD in Dairy Science, Food Science, Food Engineering, or a closely related field, with a distinct academic focus on physical chemistry or advanced processing.
• Experience:1-3 (PhD) or2-5(MSc)years of progressive experience indairy/foodresearch, spanning laboratory bench workandpilot plant scale-up.
• Technical Mastery:
• Dairy/FoodPhysical Chemistry: Deep understanding of the interactions between proteins, fats, enzymes, and mineralsduring manufacturing processing,under thermal stressand during shelf-life.
• Analytical Toolset: Proven hands-on competence with rheology, chromatographic methods, particle size, and compositional analyses.
• Technical Writing: Exceptional capability in authoring rigorous technical reports, white papers, or peer-reviewed documentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Comprehensive understanding of applied dairychemistry.
• Unit Operations:intimate familiarity with end-to-end fluid milk operations (separation, standardization, membrane filtration, homogenization, and UHT/aseptic processing).
• Direct experiencewith commercial aseptic systems and product-packaging interactions (e.g., PET barrier integrity, closures).
• A proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional root-cause investigations (e.g., solving oxidation defects, fouling reduction, or severe shelf-life failures).
• Familiarity with the regulatory framework governing dairy processing, functional ingredients, and stabilizers.

working conditions and physical requirements:

• Ability tolift upto 50 lbs.

how fairlife nourishes you:

Atfairlife, we believe in better — and that includes how we support our people. We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits andwellbeingresources designed to support you physically, emotionally, socially, and financially, both in and out of work.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, effective day one!
• Supplemental health plans (hospital indemnity, accident, and critical illness insurance)
• Paid Time Off to recharge and support work-life balance
• Paid parental leave & adoption assistance (up to $10,000)
• Parental support & family care benefits, including childcare resources and lactation support
• 401(k) to support retirement planning with up to 9% in employer match
• Wellness reimbursement (up to $500 for qualified wellbeing expenses)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for emotional wellbeing and work-life support
• Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability
• Employer HSA funding (for HDHP participants)
• Tuition reimbursement (up to $10,000) and student loan repayment ($200/month)
• Learning & development programs to unlock your full potential
• Rewards & recognition, matching gifts, free product, and Business Resource Groups

fairlife’snour!shprogram is designed to meet you where you are — supporting your individual wellbeing journey while enabling you to do your best work every day.

reports to :Kamil Drapala, Sr. Director, R&D

exempt/nonexempt: exempt

*Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered.

Base pay range:

$95,000 - $120,000 USD

fairlife, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. All qualified applicants and employees will be given equal opportunity. Selection decisions are based on job-related factors.

In addition to its nondiscrimination commitment, the Company will also provide reasonable accommodation of qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the Company. If you have a disability and would like to request accommodation in order to apply for a position with us, please email [e-mail].