Senior Scientist, Product Development, Pet R&D

Smucker Innovation, Inc.; Orrville (OH); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The J. M. Smucker Co.

is seeking a Senior Scientist in Product Development for Pet Research & Development in Orrville, OH. The role focuses on translating consumer needs into technical requirements and scalable product designs across pet food and snacks, guiding products from concept to commercialization in a hybrid work setting with travel up to 30%. You will lead experiments, collaborate with Operations, Quality, Marketing, and external partners, and mentor colleagues while advancing technical

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a scientific/engineering discipline as listed.
• 8+ years of relevant R&D or technical experience.
• Experience leading work from technical definition through commercialization.
• Experience designing and executing experiments and analyzing data.
• Ability to solve complex problems, manage priorities, and work independently.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and collaborate effectively.
• Willingness to travel up to 30% and drive as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead formulation and product development from concept to commercialization.
• Interpret industry challenges and recommend best practices.
• Translate consumer needs into technical requirements and product models.
• Design and execute robust experiments from benchtop to pilot scale.
• Apply knowledge of ingredients, nutrition, sensory, shelf life, and costs.
• Solve complex problems using scientific rigor and creativity.
• Lead cross-functional teams across multiple functions.
• Work independently within guidelines and seek guidance when needed.
• Initiate technology advances and mentor colleagues.
• Communicate status, results, risks, and go/no-go recommendations.
• Maintain documentation, specs, claims support, and records.
• Identify external technologies and IP opportunities.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Experiment design

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in related scientific field

Advanced degree (MS/PhD) preferred

Job description

Your Opportunity as the Senior Scientist, Product Development, Pet Research & Development Translate consumer needs and business priorities into technical requirements, product designs, and scalable solutions that enable winning innovation, renovation, and business support initiatives across pet food and snacks. Leverage your deep product-development expertise and scientific-method thinking to lead complex technical work from concept through commercialization. Support in the advancement of technical capabilities, provide expertise to other product developers, and counsel leadership within defined areas of technical focus. Location: Orrville, OH Work Arrangements: Hybrid, 60% or more in-office presence as business needs require, with travel up to 30% annually

In this role you will:

• Lead formulation and product development for innovation, renovation, value engineering, and business-support initiatives from concept through commercialization.
• Interpret both CPG industry and Smucker business challenges and recommend best practices to improve products, processes, or services.
• Translate consumer needs, product briefs, and business priorities into technical requirements, design criteria, learning plans, and product models.
• Design, plan, coordinate, and execute robust experiments from benchtop through pilot-plant and manufacturing scale; analyze data, interpret results, and recommend next steps.
• Apply in-depth knowledge of ingredient functionality, nutrition, sensory and palatability, shelf life, processing, operational feasibility, claims, cost, and consumer acceptance to develop product solutions.
• Solve complex technical problems by combining scientific rigor, critical thinking, creativity, and new perspectives on existing solutions.
• Lead technical and cross-functional teams for projects with moderate-to-high complexity, risk, or resource requirements, working with Operations, Quality, Marketing, Finance, Procurement, Regulatory, Packaging, and external partners.
• Work independently within broad guidelines, seeking leadership guidance when decisions may have significant functional or organizational impact.
• Initiate and lead technology or capability advances in an area of technical expertise, and serve as a technical resource and mentor for colleagues with less experience.
• Communicate project status, experimental results, conclusions, risks, and go/no-go recommendations to project teams, R&D leadership, and other internal or external stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate formulas, specifications, claims support, laboratory notebooks, invention records, technical reports, and other product lifecycle documentation.
• Identify and assess relevant external technologies, ingredients, competitive products, scientific literature, patents, intellectual-property opportunities, and legal considerations.

What we are looking for:

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Nutrition, Engineering Technology, Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a related scientific or engineering discipline.
• 8+ years of relevant Research & Development or comparable technical experience.
• Demonstrated product-development experience and the ability to lead work from technical definition through commercialization.
• Experience designing and executing experiments and analyzing technical data to draw conclusions and make recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems, manage multiple priorities, and work independently with guidance in complex situations.
• Ability to build productive relationships and influence shared goals across technical and cross-functional teams.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 30% and to drive a company or rental vehicle as needed.

Additional skills and experience that would support success in this role:

• Advanced degree, such as a Master’s degree or PhD, in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline.

Physical and work environment considerations:

• Ability to walk, stand, or sit for extended periods and to perform work that may involve lifting, bending, carrying, and standing.
• Ability to work and move safely around laboratories, pilot plants, manufacturing processes, and equipment.
• Ability to climb stairs or ladders when required for plant or equipment access.

#LI-KK1 #INDSA

The Right Place for You

We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together.

Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.

Stay connected with us on LinkedIn We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, age, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status.

We’re a community of passionate, talented professionals dedicated to creating food people and pets love—while supporting the communities in which we work and live.

We value what makes each person unique, champion growth and development, and foster collaboration that fuels productivity and drives our shared success.

Learn more about our Thrive Together purpose At Smucker, we're passionate about creating a workplace where you truly belong. With a culture rooted in our Basic Beliefs and a competitive Total Rewards program, we aim to support every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.

Learn more about working at Smucker

Our culture is sustained and brought to life every day by the people of Smucker and our hiring process is designed to identify the right candidate for every position at our company.

Learn more about our hiring process

The J. M. Smucker Co. (the “Company”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No person will be discriminated against in hiring or in any other aspect of their employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, marital status, familial status, disability, genetic information, protected veteran/military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.