Senior Meat Science R&D Technologist - In-Plant Innovation

Smithfield Support Services Corp; St. Charles (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package available

Be Well programs

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Smithfield Foods is seeking a Senior Research & Development Technologist to lead in-plant experiments driving packaging, product development, and process optimization. You’ll support plant operations, ensure quality and regulatory compliance, and apply meat science expertise to improve product integrity and efficiency.

You will collaborate with QA and operations, oversee chemistry analyses, and drive improvements in ingredients, formulations, and production methods across the plant environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field; 5+ years in plant manufacturing in meat processing.
• Strong knowledge of meat science and ingredients functionality.
• Experience with experimental design and statistical analysis.
• Ability to communicate technical information to scientists and non-scientists.
• English reading/writing proficiency and willingness to travel up to 40%.

Responsibilities

• Independently design, plan, and execute experiments; analyze results and report findings.
• Collaborate with Operations on Food Safety and Product Development.
• Provide technical guidance to plant QA and operations on quality, chemistry and production issues.
• Oversee process controls to ensure quality, cost-effectiveness and compliance.
• Evaluate production methods to identify cost-saving opportunities and improvements.

Skills

Meat science

Experiment design

Statistical analysis

Food safety knowledge

Communication skills

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

None

Job description

Smithfield Foods is seeking a Senior Research & Development Technologist to lead in-plant experiments driving packaging, product development, and process optimization. You’ll support plant operations, ensure quality and regulatory compliance, and apply meat science expertise to improve product integrity and efficiency.

You will collaborate with QA and operations, oversee chemistry analyses, and drive improvements in ingredients, formulations, and production methods across the plant environment.