Senior Food Application Scientist

Balchem Corporation; Bridgeton (MO); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Balchem Corporation in Bridgeton, MO is seeking a Senior Food Scientist to join the Applications R&D team. The role focuses on solving manufacturing challenges in bakery products, scaling up innovations, and supporting commercialization efforts with scientific rigor.

You will lead cross-functional projects, translate consumer needs into insights, and provide technical support to customers, sales, and internal teams worldwide.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Culinology, Baking, or related field with 8+ years of manufacturing experience.
• Industrial baking experience covering breads, rolls, tortillas, cakes, muffins, and cookies.
• Strong GMP, HAACP, FDA regulation knowledge and sanitation standards.
• Advanced problem solving, data analysis and evaluation skills.
• Ability to learn quickly, manage multiple projects, and deliver high-quality results.
• Commitment to continuous learning and staying current with industry trends.
• Excellent written and verbal communication across cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with MS Office and analytical tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead safety culture across all activities.
• Optimize and validate baked goods performance, shelf life, and sensory properties through testing and data analysis.
• Lead multiple complex projects aligning with customer and business goals.
• Collaborate with commercial and R&D teams to translate consumer needs into insights.
• Design and execute experiments to generate technical data supporting commercial strategy.
• Provide technical support to customers, sales, and internal departments.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Operations, Quality, and Regulatory to achieve cross-functional objectives.
• Stay updated on bakery technologies and foster relationships with customers and institutions.
• Develop new product ideas for demos and tradeshows leveraging Balchem ingredients.
• Mentor other scientists and deliver project status reports and recommendations.

Skills

Food science expertise

GMP knowledge

HAACP knowledge

FDA regulations knowledge

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science or related field

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Company Overview

Balchem is committed to making the world a healthier place by delivering trusted, innovative, and science-based solutions for the health and nutritional needs of the world. Balchem employs approximately 1,400 employees worldwide who provide the service, quality, and technology that enables our customers to win with their customers. We have built a reputation for delivering results to all of our stakeholders. Founded in 1967, Balchem, a Maryland corporation, became a publicly-traded company in 1970 and is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “BCPC.” Our corporate headquarters is located in Montvale, New Jersey, and we have a broad network of sales offices, manufacturing sites, and R&D centers, primarily located in the U.S. and Europe. The Company consists of three business segments: Human Nutrition and Health, Animal Nutrition and Health, and Specialty Products.

Position Summary

The Senior Food Scientist position, within the Applications R&D team, will leverage scientific training and industrial experience to find technical solutions to manufacturing challenges in the bakery space by applying scientific rigor to address known issues. This role is expected to tackle projects with significant technical complexity, ensuring diligence in the development, scale-up, and commercialization of innovative products that deliver on business goals.

The position requires a strong ability to work cross-functionally to set goals and timetables, drive innovation, and support commercialization efforts. Additionally, this individual will support execution of local and global strategies and business initiatives while providing technical expertise to internal and external customers.

Essential Functions

• Lead and champion a culture of safety across all activities.
• Optimize and validate functional performance, shelf life, and sensory properties of baked goods including bread, muffins, cookies, cakes, rolls, and tortillas by conducting product testing (both analytical and sensory) and by reviewing and analyzing the resulting data.
• Lead multiple complex projects while ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and alignment with customer and business goals.
• Collaborate with the commercial team and other R&D teams to translate unmet consumer needs into actionable scientific and technological insights in both domestic and international markets
• Design and execute experiments to create technical application data supporting the business's commercial strategy.
• Exhibit conceptual, creative and analytic problem solving – the ability to break down complex issues and simplify by focusing on what matters.
• Provide technical support to customers, sales teams, and internal departments on products and technologies.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, and other R&D teams to achieve cross-functional business objectives that may include cost reduction initiatives, production efficiencies, and quality improvements.
• Stay updated on emerging technologies and developments in bakery products, fostering strong relationships with customers, research institutions, and industry organizations.
• Serve as a technical expert, solving broader business issues through science and technology strategies.
• Develop new product ideas and concepts for demos and tradeshows in multiple applications (bakery, confectionary, etc) with an emphasis on incorporation of Balchem ingredients in new and unique ways that align with current trends.
• Support and mentor other scientists within the R&D organization.
• Deliver written and oral reports on project status, experimental results, and technical recommendations.
• Take an independent and disciplined approach to organizing work activity, prioritizing tasks, and analysis; seek out additional projects and activities to drive the business forward
• Ensure the integrity of the R&D laboratory through accurate record-keeping, test design, and adherence to sanitary practices.
• Ensure high standards of food safety, hygiene, and sanitation, working with quality and regulatory teams as needed to ensure compliance to food safety requirements.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Culinology, Baking, or other related scientific field with 8+ years of relevant manufacturing experience.
• Industrial baking experience is required including a strong understanding of the commercial manufacturing of baked goods (breads, rolls, tortillas, cakes/muffins, and cookies) and the associated processes (mixing, baking, proofing, etc).
• Strong understanding of GMP, HAACP, FDA regulations, and sanitation procedures.
• Advanced problem solving, data analysis, and evaluation skills.
• Ability to learn new categories quickly, navigate in a complex, fast-paced business environment and manage and prioritize multiple projects while delivering high-quality results.
• Commitment to continuous learning and staying current with industry trends and innovations.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects with a demonstrated history of delivering high-quality results.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams (Marketing, Operations and Manufacturing, Quality and Regulatory) and Senior Management.
• Proficiency with computer software, including MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Working Conditions

• Work involves the use of typical food science lab equipment, computers, and instrumentation.
• Some extended periods of working on your feet in the lab, pilot, and manufacturing plant.
• May be required to lift and carry large boxes or bags, and the work environment may occasionally be noisy, wet, slippery, and subject to temperature variations.
• Some business travel by automobile, bus, train, and/or plane may be required.

Balchem is committed to a workplace culture that values and promotes diversity, inclusion, equal employment opportunities, and a work environment free of harassment and hostility.