Food Scientist, Research and Development Supervisor

Additional Considerations (if any):

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At Hy-Vee our people are our strength. We promise "a helpful smile in every aisle" and those smiles can only come from a workforce that is fully engaged and committed to supporting our customers and each other.

Job Description:

Job Title: Food Scientist, Research and Development Supervisor

Location: Hy-Vee Training & Education Center

FLSA: Hourly

Revision Date: 08/2025

General Function:

The Food Scientist, R&D Supervisor supports the Technical Director by leading daily R&D activities, with primary focus on product development and reformulation (40%). Additional responsibilities include compliance and food safety (25%), team leadership (15%), administration and reporting (10%), and operational support (10%), ensuring products meet cost, quality, regulatory, and consumer expectations.

Reporting Relations:

Accountable and Reports to: Technical Director, Compliance and Food Protection

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

R&D Innovation

• Lead reformulation of existing products and assist creation of new products to achieve cost, nutrition, and labeling objectives (e.g., cost optimization, sodium and sugar reduction, clean label).
• Manage all stages of the R&D process including concept development, formulation, supplier qualification, benchtop testing, scale-up, and commercialization.
• Collaborate with supply chain and retail leadership partners to optimize production processes for scalability, cost, quality, and product integrity.
• Support start-up and launch of new and optimized products.
• Supervise and participate in benchtop trials and sensory panels, ensuring process validation, ingredient evaluation, labeling accuracy, food safety, and logistics.
• Provide culinary and technical expertise during development and commercialization, including consulting, assisting with creation of training materials, and coaching retail department personnel.

Regulatory & Quality

• Partner with labeling to ensure compliance in nutrition analysis, allergen management, ingredient audits, and regulatory verification.
• Supervise sensory testing of new products, ingredients, and packaging.
• Maintain and distribute product specifications for Hy-Vee Foods products.
• Oversee ingredient sourcing, auditing, and qualification of new and secondary suppliers.
• Support procurement with onboarding of products, vendors, and suppliers.

Team Leadership & Development

• Foster a culture of food safety, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Manage schedules, assignments, and priorities for Food Scientists.
• Train, supervise, and mentor team members.

Administration & Reporting

• Ensure accurate recordkeeping of formulas, procedures, yields, and production notes.
• Provide weekly project status reports to management.

Secondary Duties and Responsibilities:

Operational Support

• Assist retail operations as needed.
• Maintain ingredient records and related documentation.
• Assist with special projects and cross-department initiatives, as assigned.

Facilities & Equipment

• Maintain R&D kitchens and storage areas to company standards of cleanliness and safety.
• Assist with upkeep of R&D equipment and tools.

Skills and Abilities Required to Perform Job:

Technical Expertise

• Strong knowledge of food manufacturing, distribution, safety programs, and sanitation standards.
• Familiarity with USDA/FDA regulations, nutrition labeling, and compliance requirements.
• Comprehensive experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Leadership & Collaboration

• Proven supervisory and mentoring skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate across teams with an emphasis on making technical information understandable to diverse audiences in a practical manner.
• Skilled at planning, prioritizing, and executing multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.

Attention to Detail & Compliance

• Accuracy in recordkeeping and regulatory documentation.
• Ability to manage confidential information with discretion.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field required
• 4-6 years of experience in food manufacturing, retail food operations, or product development with success scaling from benchtop to commercialization.
• Strong knowledge of FDA/USDA regulations, food safety standards, and nutrition labeling.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to perform light work, occasionally lifting up to 20 lbs.
• Visual requirements: near and far vision, depth perception, color vision, and field of vision (with or without correction).
• Ability to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, grasp, talk, hear, and perform repetitive motions.

Working Conditions:

• Primarily office or laboratory (climate-controlled) environment
• Occasional work in manufacturing and warehouse settings, including occasional travel
• Frequent deadlines while managing multiple priorities.

Equipment Used to Perform Job:

• Computer, tablet, photocopier, phone system.
• Food preparation and production equipment in test kitchens and retail environments.

Are you ready to smile, apply today.

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre employment drug screen.