Description

•  Reports to: Innovation, Corporate Quality and Food Safety Director 
•  Back up position: Innovation, Corporate Quality and Food Safety Director, Food Scientist 
•  Department: Innovation, Corporate Quality and Food Safety 
•  Work location: Woodland, CA 
•  Exempt/Non-Exempt: Exempt 

• I - Job Purpose and Summary:  Innovation leader responsible for development of high-quality products and technology which includes formulation and processing development. 

• II - Key Accountabilities:  

HSE: Always Promote a safe work environment through the adherence to all PGPI’s Health & Safety and Environmental policies and procedures as well as to all relevant California OSHA regulations in order to achieve ZERO workplace incidents and injuries. 

New and Existing Product Development (NPD, EPD): Lead the innovation and renovation of extruded products, including formulation and process development. Ideation and execution of productivity projects enabling defined business growth objectives.

Leverages internal and external partners to apply proven ingredient & process solutions focused on extrusion know-how to increase technology understandings.

Create trial plans as needed to maximize trial success including trial design, planning and implementation.

Analyze experimental data, interpret results, and communicate findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Deliver technical product solutions addressing product quality issues, functionality or improve consumer product needs utilizing solid knowledge of ingredient, in-product interactions on processing lines (extrusion mastership). 

Understand and demonstrate application of consumer product testing, sensory, analytical, etc. tools to deliver quality products in line with consumer needs. 

Innovation leadership process: Identify patterns across projects to continuously propose improvements to the innovation process in place.

Leverages strong partnerships with internal functional departments (Operations, Quality & Regulatory, Procurement) to resolve key technical issues.

Ability to manage multiple projects with an accelerated response to Sales and Marketing function needs.

Participate/organize/lead product and technology ideation sessions for the business.

Technical support for Sales department at meetings with key customers. 

Reporting/Record Management: Execute and document product development projects including data analysis, trial reporting, lab work, including analysis of new ingredients, implementation of stability testing and shelf-life, review of trial runs leveraging experimental design and scale-ups. 

Training & Development: Participate in all trainings related to his/her job in order to gain knowledge/skills/abilities needed for exceptional performance.

Participate in all training related to development of Innovation, Sales and Operation personnel to gain knowledge of needed Innovation work. 

• III - Internal and External Contacts:  

Internal: Sales and Marketing, Operations, Corporate Quality and Food Safety, Procurement, Finance 

External: Technical institutions, universities, vendors, suppliers, and customers 

Requirements

• IV - Job Requirements (Required and Preferred): 

Education: Bachelor’s degree in food science or engineering, chemistry, or biological sciences 

Related Experience:  5 yrs. of product development experience in the Food industry, preferably focused on extrusion

Competencies:  Driving For Results, Priority Setting, Process Management, Compelling Communication, Composure, Listening, Organizational Agility, Operational Decision Making, Dealing With Ambiguity, Business Acumen, Driving Innovation, Continuous Learning 

Technical Skills:

Formulation and rheology knowledge related to carbohydrates and protein chemistry

Processing and equipment knowledge, extrusion exposure desirable

Ingredient analytical fingerprinting knowledge

Familiarity with formulation software (Genesis) 

Language(s):

Fluency in English - required 

Fluency in Spanish - preferred 

V – Work/Employment Conditions and Other Requirements:  

Work Environment: 

The role is largely office based, with frequent interactions with colleagues both in the office and factory environment. Development work is inside of factory on a regular basis. 

Physical and Sensory Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms overhead and grip; climb stairs. 

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. 

Position Type and Working Schedule: 

RFT - Regular Full Time, working schedule: office hours and based on business needs 

Travel Requirements: Occasional travel to Evansville, IN and/or other business partner sites