Scientist, R&D - Product Dev

Kraft Heinz; Glenview (IL); Hybrid; USD 78,000 - 97,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus program

Healthcare benefits

401k plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Kraft Heinz seeks a Scientist for Away From Home and KHI Product Development at the Glenview R&D Center. You will translate business needs into development plans, drive scale-up through commercialization, and collaborate with plants to troubleshoot and ensure product quality across categories.

The role requires strong technical judgment, project management, and the ability to balance multiple priorities with clear communication. Hybrid schedule and travel up to 30% are expected.

Qualifications

• BS in Food Science or related field with 2 years relevant experience, or MS with 1 year relevant experience, or PhD with no relevant experience required.
• Product development and commercialization experience.
• Understanding of ingredient functionality and interrelationship of ingredients and process.
• Excellent communication, influencing, prioritization, and project management skills.
• Ability to lead, coach, and motivate others; manage multiple assignments concurrently.

Responsibilities

• Support product development across multiple cross-functional projects and product categories within Away From Home / KHI.
• Drive product development workstreams from formulation through scale-up and start-up with cross-functional guidance.
• Lead ideation to commercialization from benchtop to final production and spec.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to advance projects and meet timelines.
• Serve as R&D point person for manufacturing plants, supporting operations and quality issues.
• Lead product testing, qualification, and commercialization across lab, pilot plant, and production.
• Communicate findings, risks, and implications clearly to stakeholders.
• Manage technical timelines, raise issues and adjust plans as needed.
• Interface with technical experts and cross-functional partners to understand technologies and business needs.

Skills

Communication

Project management

Critical thinking

Leadership

Education

BS in Food Science or related field

MS with 1 year relevant experience

PhD with no required experience

Job description

Job Description

Scientist, Away From Home and KHI Product Development

Role Summary

The Scientist, Away From Home and KHI supports product development across medium-complexity projects for the Away From Home / KHI business, contributing to a broad portfolio of innovation, renovation, and brand maintenance initiatives. This role helps translate business needs into practical development plans, supports technical execution, and helps projects progress effectively from formulation through scale-up and commercialization.

This role operates in a dynamic, cross-functional environment and requires strong technical judgment, project management, and problem-solving skills across a range of product categories and business needs. Success in the role requires the ability to manage multiple priorities, collaborate effectively across functions, and maintain strong execution and documentation discipline.

Key Responsibilities

• Support product development across multiple cross-functional projects and product categories within the Away From Home / KHI business, including innovation, renovation, and brand maintenance work
• Drive product development workstreams from formulation through scale-up and start-up with appropriate guidance and cross-functional partnership
• Work from ideation to commercialization, from benchtop samples to final production and from raw material to finished product specification.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to advance projects, resolve technical issues, and deliver against business timelines
• Serve as an R&D point person for manufacturing plants and support plant operations with troubleshooting, process design, and product quality-related issues to maintain business continuity
• Lead product testing, qualification, and commercialization activities across laboratory, pilot plant, and production environments
• Apply technical judgment to product, ingredient, process, and formulation challenges and develop recommendations and contingency plans based on findings
• Communicate technical findings, recommendations, risks, and implications clearly and in a timely manner to cross-functional stakeholders
• Manage technical timelines, proactively raise issues and risks, and adjust plans as needed
• Manage multiple priorities concurrently and identify tradeoffs, resource constraints, and priority conflicts across initiatives, including planned and unplanned brand maintenance work
• Interface with technical experts, category scientists, and cross-functional partners to understand technologies, applications, and business needs
• Assist in scoping early-stage innovation ideas and participate in ideation sessions
• Conduct lab, pilot plant, and manufacturing trials to optimize formulations and processing systems
• Write specifications and maintain high-quality documentation that supports consistent, high-quality products
• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to learn new categories, technologies, and processing areas in support of business needs

Qualifications

• BS in Food Science, Food Engineering, Dairy Science, Meat Science, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, or related field and 2 years of relevant experience or MS plus minimum of 1 year of relevant experience, or PhD and no relevant experience required
• Product development and commercialization experience
• Understanding of ingredient functionality and interrelationship of ingredients and process
• Excellent communication, influencing, prioritization, and project management skills
• Strong critical thinking skills and ability to make connections to the big picture
• Ability to lead, coach, and motivate others
• Manage multiple assignments/tasks concurrently with the ability to question the priority of work
• Willingness to travel approximately 30% of the time

Work Environment & Schedule

This position is considered a normal office environment with 30% travel or visits to external locations; offices are open workspaces. Additionally, this role requires in-office presence at least three days per week in compliance with the hybrid work schedule.

Physical Requirements

Physical demands include, but are not limited to:

• Lift up to 30 lbs and navigate lab, storage, pilot plant, and manufacturing environments.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain all duties or responsibilities required of the role. Duties and responsibilities may change or be added at any time, with or without notice.

Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz’ strategy and values.

New Hire Base Salary Range

$77,800.00 - $97,300.00

Bonus:

This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.

The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors

Benefits:

Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family’s needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.

Wellbeing:

We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families.

Benefits

You’ll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example:

• Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments
• Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training
• Emotional – Employee Assistance Program , Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs
• Financial – 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability

Location(s)

Glenview R&D Center

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact [e-mail] for assistance.