SUMMARY: The primary purpose of this position is to provide scientific and practical data to help improve existing and develop new flour products, milling processes, and/or bakery mix products in order to maintain or improve Mennel’s competitive advantage. The Senior Scientist position has broad project responsibilities to co-create and influence the strategic direction of the research to be done. They initiate, lead, and still perform hands-on research in order to deliver key technical initiatives. This position will sustain the Mission and Motto and Food Safety and Quality Statement of the Mennel Milling Company. 

PRIMARY WORK SHIFT: Monday through Friday 8AM – 5PM. Will vary, depending on workload.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without accommodation. 

• Follow all food and personal safety rules and regulations in respect to GMP’s, OSHA, HACCP, the Global Food Safety Initiative, the US FDA Food Safety Modernization Act as stated in the FS&Q Statement, and sanitation guidelines as set forth by the company as listed in Corporate Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE) and attend all required training sessions. Maintain the department/facility in an everyday audit ready condition.
• Responsible for initiating and leading technology development that provide unique solutions and business building innovations.
• Manage technical activities to create fundamental understanding that enables the success of the project.
• Apply fundamental technical understanding to create viable solutions.
• Lead project direction via data, learning, and hands-on experimentation.
• Role model and train Associate Scientists and Scientists on technical rigor and mastery.
• Takes personal ownership to develop technology program that meets project timing.
• Has ability to quickly find relevant outside trends, learning, and capabilities and brings into the organization.
• Uses mastery and experience to seek out and embrace positive changes that improve results, the business, the organization, and daily work life.
• Other duties may be assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position has no supervisory duties.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job. 

• A Master’s Degree in Baking Science, Milling Science, Food Science, Food Chemistry, or related discipline and/or equivalent work experience is required; Ph.D. degree is preferred. 
• 7-15 years of research experience in grain-based food manufacture preferred
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in cereal chemistry, analytical chemistry, food science, process engineering and statistics.
• Must have strong research aptitude and technical skills.
• Must have strong project management skills.
• Must have solid communication skills and be able to interact and productively communicate with all levels of the organization.
• Must be a self-starter and maintain high level of self-motivation.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, memos, procedures, and plans. Ability to write, complete checklists and other basic documentation and correspondence. Ability to effectively present information or data in one-on-one and small group situations to co-workers, supervisors, and managers.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

REASONING ABILITY:

Must use solid judgment when making decisions. Must have ability to quickly recognize and plan for changing work duties and events.

PHYSICAL 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 stand; walk; use hands to perform maintenance tasks, reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, twist, crouch, or crawl, and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds or more. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to conditions that are typical to an office environment.