Food Scientist - Product Technical Services

Position Title: Food Scientist- Product Technical Services

Reports To: Sr. Director Quality and R&D

FLSA Status: Exempt

Job Grade: 9

Pay Range: $94,000-$135,000

Job Description:

Food Scientist- Product Technical Services contributes to product development efforts, by engaging in technical services, and support for our farms, customers, and internal teams specifically R&D, Quality, Operations and Sales. The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in food science, a passion for dairy product development, and the ability to interact with cross-functional teams to bring new food innovations to life.

Key Responsibilities:

Product Innovation & Development:

• Support new product innovation for dairy products, ingredients and beverages.
• Design and conduct experiments, sensory studies, and shelf-life testing to optimize product performance.
• Oversee ingredient applications and functionality, ensuring formulation stability and quality.
• Spearhead new ingredient development and identify emerging opportunities for innovation.
• Drive process improvements and collaborate with Operations on scaling up new products from lab to production.
• Manage pilot trials and assist with start-up operations to ensure successful product launches.
• Maintain strong knowledge of food processing technologies, with an emphasis on thermal processing, aseptic and ESL.

Technical Services & Customer Support:

• Provide technical support to customers, including ingredient advisement, regulatory documentation, and sample management.
• Oversee product and technical documentation, including product specifications, certifications (Kosher, Halal, etc.), and regulatory statements.
• Manage the product specification program, ensuring internal and customer specifications are properly reviewed and approved.
• Support Sales & Marketing by developing technical service bulletins and marketing materials to communicate product attributes effectively.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance to address product-related issues and enhance quality standards.

Food Science Expertise:

• Work with multidisciplinary teams to drive innovation and technical excellence.
• Work cross-functionally with Farms, Sales, Marketing, Quality, Operations, and Research & Development to align business goals with product development initiatives.
• Stay informed on industry trends, emerging technologies, scientific advancements, and regulatory developments to maintain a competitive edge.
• Interpret the patent landscape in dairy and food products to ensure innovation aligns with intellectual property strategies.

Essential Knowledge & Skills:

• Expertise in food product formulation, industrial processes, ingredient functionality, and product-process interactions.
• Strong understanding of dairy processing, including thermal processing.
• Ability to work cross-functionally to solve specification/quality issues and drive product innovation.
• Exceptional technical documentation skills and knowledge of quality systems.
• Strong communication skills (written & verbal) to effectively interact with internal teams, customers, and industry partners.

Education & Experience:

• Minimum B.S. in Food Science, Nutrition, Biological Sciences, Food Engineering, or a related field (M.S. or Ph.D. preferred).
• 7 years of hands-on experience in food product development and food formulation, with a strong background in dairy processing.

Environmental Considerations:

• Must be able to work in environments with varying temperatures (e.g., lab, production).
• Exposure to food ingredients, including allergens.
• May encounter food processing chemicals in research and production facilities.
• Ability to navigate all areas of the facility, including office spaces, warehouse areas, and the exterior perimeter.
• Must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) as necessary to safely perform job duties.
• Ability to stand, sit, and carry out tasks throughout a full shift, with appropriate meal breaks.
• Physically capable of standing, bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching, twisting, lifting, pushing, pulling, climbing, balancing, and crouching as needed.
• Able to lift and move items weighing up to 50 pounds independently and heavier objects with reasonable accommodation.
• Visual acuity is sufficient to perform job duties accurately.
• Capable of assessing weights, judging distances, and working at various heights.

Work Schedule:

Monday-Friday 8-hour shifts to support 24/7 operation. Travel to conferences, trainings or customer visits may be necessary.

Compensation:

At Cayuga Milk Ingredients, we value a fair and comprehensive approach to compensation. Our wage range for this role is determined by various factors, including skill sets, experience, training, licensure, certifications, and organizational needs. It is not typical for an employee to start at or near the top of the range for the position. Compensation decisions are made based on individual job circumstances considering skill level, previous experience, and education requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Cayuga Milk Ingredients is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Non-Discrimination Policy:

The contractor will not discriminate against employees or applicants for discussing or disclosing their own pay or the pay of others. However, employees with access to compensation information as part of their job duties are prohibited from disclosing this information to unauthorized individuals, except in specific circumstances outlined by applicable laws and regulations (41 CFR 60-1.35(c)).

General Statement:

All Cayuga employees recognize that the success and prosperity of the company is everyone’s responsibility. All employees are expected to treat each other in a positive, respectful, and professional manner, to be at work for their assigned shift and to work safely as a team. Employees must be self-starters who can relate to all levels of the organization.

Disclaimer:

o All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

o This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor.

o The company reserves the right to add to or revise an employee's job duties at any time at its sole discretion.

o This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.