What are the responsibilities and job description for the Food Scientist - Sauce Commercialization position at Hunter the Head Hunter?
Location: Greater Chicago Area – South Suburbs
Reports To: Director of R&D/Quality
A growing food manufacturer is seeking an experienced Research & Development Scientist to support the development, commercialization, and optimization of sauces, dressings, condiments, and other liquid or semi-liquid food products.
This is a hands-on product development position with involvement throughout the entire R&D lifecycle—from bench-top formulation and sensory evaluation through pilot trials, plant scale-up, commercialization, and ongoing product optimization.
The ideal candidate will have a strong food science foundation and previous experience developing sauces, salad dressings, condiments, marinades, dips, spreads, emulsions, or similar formulated food products.
Key Responsibilities- Independently formulate and develop new sauces, dressings, condiments, marinades, dips, spreads, and related products.
- Conduct bench-top experimentation, prototype development, sensory evaluations, and formulation optimization.
- Develop and optimize products with consideration for flavor, texture, viscosity, stability, appearance, ingredient functionality, and manufacturability.
- Support projects throughout the full product development lifecycle, from initial formulation through plant trials, scale-up, commercialization, and production launch.
- Translate bench-top formulations into repeatable, commercially viable manufacturing processes.
- Partner closely with Operations and Quality during plant trials and production runs to troubleshoot formulation and processing challenges.
- Collect and analyze experimental, sensory, and manufacturing data to guide product-development decisions.
- Maintain accurate formulations, laboratory records, specifications, reports, and commercialization documentation.
- Identify opportunities for ingredient optimization, product improvement, process improvement, and cost reduction.
- Support packaging development, food safety, shelf-life, and commercialization initiatives as needed.
- Manage multiple R&D projects simultaneously while meeting established timelines.
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
- Minimum 5 years of food product development or R&D experience.
- Previous formulation experience with sauces, dressings, condiments, marinades, dips, spreads, emulsions, or similar food products is strongly preferred.
- Strong understanding of ingredient functionality and food formulation.
- Demonstrated experience taking products from bench-top development through manufacturing scale-up and commercialization.
- Experience conducting plant trials and troubleshooting products in a food manufacturing environment.
- Strong analytical, sensory, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to effectively collaborate with R&D, Quality, Operations, Marketing, and other cross-functional teams.
- Strong project-management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple development projects.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; experience with formulation or product-development software is a plus.
Candidates with R&D experience involving one or more of the following are especially encouraged to apply:
Sauces • Salad Dressings • Condiments • Marinades • Dips • Spreads • Emulsions • Gravies • Cooking Sauces • Pourable Sauces • Refrigerated or Shelf-Stable Formulated Foods