Sr. Product Development Scientist

Indiana Ag Connection; Indianapolis, Northern (IN, KY); Hybrid; USD 155,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Job summary

Indiana Ag Connection seeks a Senior Product Development Scientist to lead innovation and renovation projects across a range of beverage and flavor products. You will guide development from concept to commercialization, collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure quality, regulatory compliance, and market success.

The role emphasizes strong leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills, with focus on dairy-related protein projects and scaling pilot to full production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related fields; Master’s preferred.
• 7+ years of food industry product development experience (dairy protein experience preferred).
• Experience leading product development from concept to commercialization.

Responsibilities

• Leads product development projects (innovation, renovation, alternate materials) from concept to commercialization.
• Provides leadership to the organization in food science and R&D.
• Designs new products based on flavor, texture, color, shelf life and nutrition while adhering to standards.
• Develops specifications for finished products with physical, chemical, and sensory properties.
• Leads pilot and commercial scale up trials and monitors first three productions.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Problem solving

Communications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Sr. Product Development Scientist

The Sr. Product Development Scientist will lead and drive product innovation projects, product renovation projects, and alternate material projects for the company. Key categories will include protein and nutrition beverages, creamers, non-nutritive sweeteners, liquid water enhancers, liquid concentrates, tea beverages, coffee products and flavored drinks. The duties in this position are expected to evolve over time as a result of the company’s growth and expansion into new technologies.

Essential Duties and Key Responsibilities:

• Leads product development projects (innovation, renovation, alternate materials) from concept to commercialization.
• Provides leadership to the organization in the areas of food science and R&D.
• Designs new products based on targeted flavor profile, texture, color, shelf life and nutritional content while maintaining adherence to government and industry standards.
• Creates nutrition labels and ingredient lists using nutrition labeling software and understanding of government regulations.
• Develops specifications for finished products with physical, chemical, and sensory properties.
• Develops batching instructions for pilot plant and operations.
• Generates and optimizes costs of formulations in collaboration with ingredient vendors to obtain best product results, costing and supply.
• Leads pilot and commercial scale up trials and monitors first three commercial productions.
• Regularly collaborates with Operations and advises solutions for production issues.
• Maintains and organizes physical and electronic formulation records.
• Support logistics on the verification of ingredients in inventory for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
• Assures all activities follow Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and all required company policies and procedures.
• FollowsGMP’s, maintains sanitary conditions, adheres to safe work practices and ensures that product quality is maintained.

Salary

$155,000 - $170,000 + Bonus

Benefits Available

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related disciplines required. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of food industry product development experience. Experience working with dairy proteins preferred.
• Experience leading product development projects from concept to commercialization.
• Ability to identify opportunities for improvement and drive the opportunity to completion.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable working cross functionally and leading project teams.
• Excellent organizational and communication (oral and written) skills, proficiency in speaking, comprehending, reading and writing English required.
• Excellent mathematical skills and knowledge of, or ability to learn, statistical analysis required.
• Computer literacy including competency with Microsoft Office and demonstrated ability to operate complex software programs required.
• Working knowledge of government regulations and rules of certification bodies such as Kosher,Halal, Organic, and others as applicable to business.
• Able tomultitask, work alone with light supervision and in a team environment.
• Enjoys working in laboratory and pilot plant.
• Fast learner, flexible and willing to help where needed.

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