Senior Principal Scientist, R&D – Margin Enhancement Strategy

Jobtailor; Glenview (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Kraft Heinz in North America seeks a senior science leader to drive value engineering, shaping a multi-year productivity strategy and delivering cost-saving innovations across categories. You will lead cross-functional teams with procurement, operations, quality, regulatory, packaging, and commercialization, while building external partnerships.

The role requires advanced degrees and deep knowledge of ingredient functionality, formulation design, and manufacturing scale-up, with a track record

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or a related field is strongly preferred
• 7+ years of relevant experience with a Master's degree, 6+ years with a PhD, or 8+ years with a Bachelor's degree
• Deep knowledge of ingredient functionality, formulation design, food processing technologies, and cost optimization strategies
• Demonstrated success identifying and advancing high-impact value engineering opportunities with measurable business results
• Ability to evaluate technical opportunities through scientific merit and business value
• Ability to develop technical strategies and influence organizational priorities across multiple business units
• Strong understanding of manufacturing, scale-up, commercialization, and supply chain considerations
• Experience evaluating emerging technologies, supplier innovations, and external trends
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts and recommendations to senior leadership
• Exceptional problem-solving, systems-thinking, and strategic planning capabilities
• Ability to influence without authority and build alignment across diverse stakeholder groups
• Experience working across large global matrixed organizations preferred
• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time

Responsibilities

• Serve as a recognized technical authority and thought leader in value engineering across the North American region
• Build and maintain a multi-year pipeline of productivity opportunities across categories, platforms, and business units
• Shape long-term North American productivity strategy
• Identify breakthrough ingredient and formulation technologies for cost savings while preserving or improving consumer outcomes
• Assess emerging technologies, supplier capabilities, ingredient systems, and manufacturing innovations
• Develop external networks across suppliers, universities, startups, and industry organizations
• Partner with Platform R&D teams to translate technical concepts into scalable productivity initiatives and innovation roadmaps
• Provide technical leadership during ideation, feasibility assessments, and early-stage development
• Lead cross-functional workshops on pipeline generation, prioritization, and technical risk evaluation
• Collaborate with Procurement, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Packaging, and Commercialization teams
• Establish technical frameworks, best practices, and methodologies for value engineering
• Influence senior leadership through data-driven recommendations, competitive insights, technical evaluations, and productivity strategies
• Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, academic research, and supplier innovations
• Support productivity initiatives as a technical advisor on formulation and scale-up challenges
• Represent Kraft Heinz externally with suppliers, industry organizations, universities, and innovation partners

Skills

Value engineering

Ingredient functionality

Formulation design

Technical leadership

Strategic planning

Communication skills

Systems thinking

Influencing without authority

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel readiness

Education

Master's degree in Food Science/Engineering/Related field

PhD in a related field

Bachelor's degree (with experience)

Job description

• Serve as a recognized technical authority and thought leader in value engineering across the North American region


• Build and maintain a multi-year pipeline of productivity opportunities across categories, platforms, and business units


• Shape long-term North American productivity strategy


• Identify breakthrough ingredient and formulation technologies for cost savings while preserving or improving consumer outcomes


• Assess emerging technologies, supplier capabilities, ingredient systems, and manufacturing innovations


• Develop external networks across suppliers, universities, startups, and industry organizations


• Partner with Platform R&D teams to translate technical concepts into scalable productivity initiatives and innovation roadmaps


• Provide technical leadership during ideation, feasibility assessments, and early-stage development


• Lead cross-functional workshops on pipeline generation, prioritization, and technical risk evaluation


• Collaborate with Procurement, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Packaging, and Commercialization teams


• Establish technical frameworks, best practices, and methodologies for value engineering


• Influence senior leadership through data-driven recommendations, competitive insights, technical evaluations, and productivity strategies


• Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, academic research, and supplier innovations


• Support productivity initiatives as a technical advisor on formulation and scale-up challenges


• Represent Kraft Heinz externally with suppliers, industry organizations, universities, and innovation partners

Requirements

• Master's degree or PhD in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or a related field is strongly preferred


• 7+ years of relevant experience with a Master's degree, 6+ years with a PhD, or 8+ years with a Bachelor's degree


• Deep knowledge of ingredient functionality, formulation design, food processing technologies, and cost optimization strategies


• Demonstrated success identifying and advancing high-impact value engineering opportunities with measurable business results


• Ability to evaluate technical opportunities through scientific merit and business value


• Ability to develop technical strategies and influence organizational priorities across multiple business units


• Strong understanding of manufacturing, scale-up, commercialization, and supply chain considerations


• Experience evaluating emerging technologies, supplier innovations, and external trends


• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts and recommendations to senior leadership


• Exceptional problem-solving, systems-thinking, and strategic planning capabilities


• Ability to influence without authority and build alignment across diverse stakeholder groups


• Experience working across large global matrixed organizations preferred


• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in value engineering, ingredient functionality, and formulation design, with a strong ability to influence organizational strategies and drive productivity initiatives across multiple business units. Proven track record in evaluating emerging technologies and translating technical concepts into actionable business outcomes.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Value Engineering Expertise


• Ingredient Functionality Knowledge


• Formulation Design Skills


• Technical Leadership Experience


• Strategic Planning Abilities

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Food Science


• Food Engineering


• Chemical Engineering


• Biological Engineering


• Formulation Technologies


• Cost Optimization Strategies


• Manufacturing Scale-Up


• Technical Strategy Development


• Emerging Technology Evaluation


• Supply Chain Considerations

Soft Skills

• Exceptional Problem-Solving


• Systems-Thinking


• Influencing Without Authority


• Communication Skills


• Collaboration Across Stakeholders

Certifications & Qualifications

• Master's Degree


• PhD

Industry Keywords

• Productivity Strategy


• Cross-Functional Collaboration


• Technical Frameworks


• Innovation Roadmaps


• Supplier Innovations


• Academic Research


• Industry Trends


• Commercialization


• Technical Risk Evaluation


• Data-Driven Recommendations