Senior Principal Scientist — Grain & Baking Innovation

Ardent Mills; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 145,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Medical, Dental and Vision

Retirement with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Ardent Mills in Denver, CO seeks a Sr. Principal Scientist to lead grain science and baking applications, driving breakthrough innovation for customers and markets.

You will design and execute experiments, mentor scientists, and collaborate across Procurement, Quality, Marketing, Manufacturing, and Regulatory teams to translate scientific insights into commercial value. Strong leadership and DOE/ Six Sigma background required.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Food Science or related field; PhD preferred.
• 15+ years industry experience in grain science and baking applications.
• Deep expertise in grain chemistry, flour milling, and ingredient functionality.
• Experience with bakery product development across breads, buns, rolls, tortillas, pastries.
• Proven ability to connect scientific discovery to commercial outcomes.
• Strong leadership and mentoring abilities.

Responsibilities

• Design and execution of experiments; develop SOPs and protocols.
• Lead collaborative projects with academic researchers and suppliers.
• Perform shelf-life studies and sensory evaluations.
• Develop and apply ingredient evaluation tools to advance R&D.
• Provide leadership in laboratory operations and safety.
• Influence across organization to align science with business needs.

Skills

Grain science

Flour functionality

Baking applications

DOE

Six Sigma

Statistical analysis

Leadership

Cross-functional

Mentoring

Strategic thinking

Education

MS in Food Science

PhD preferred

Tools

Mixograph

Farinograph

Extensograph

Alveograph

RVA

Texture Analyzer

Job description

Ardent Mills in Denver, CO seeks a Sr. Principal Scientist to lead grain science and baking applications, driving breakthrough innovation for customers and markets.

You will design and execute experiments, mentor scientists, and collaborate across Procurement, Quality, Marketing, Manufacturing, and Regulatory teams to translate scientific insights into commercial value. Strong leadership and DOE/ Six Sigma background required.