Formulations Scientist

For nearly a century, The Jel Sert Company has focused on creating high-quality, high-value foods and beverages that help bring people together. Jel Sert is proud of being awarded the Great Place to Work certification, along with being recognized as a Best Workplace to Work in Chicago and Best Workplace to Work in Manufacturing and Production. We are currently looking for a passionate, self-motivated, and dedicated individual to join our dynamic marketing team as a Formulations Scientist to support our brands such as Otter Pops, Flavor Ice, Wyler's Italian Ice, Wyler's Light, Pure Kick, Flavor Aid, My T Fine, and Royal. If you are looking for a work environment that encourages personal growth, responsibility, and a shared vision for creating incredible products that help create lasting memories, then Jel Sert wants you

The FORMULATIONS SCIENTIST is primarily responsible for formulation development related to new products and product improvements. This includes branded, licensed and contract items. This position is also responsible for primary technical transfer of the new formulations into commercial operations - in conjunction with the Jel Sert Technical Development Group.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Formulating and executing product development from bench to production scale for new products and/or product improvements across various product lines/programs, while adhering to project timeline and cost parameters.
• Perform new product development that require knowledge and experience in both processing technologies and product formulation.
• Optimize existing formulas to achieve cost savings.
• Create and maintain formulations, specifications, processes, and testing procedures.
• Coordinate bench samples for prototyping and Sales/Marketing presentations.
• Collaborate with Operations, Quality Control, Supply Chain, Packaging and Business Development to conduct trials, complete projects and meet production timing.
• Work with contract customers as needed.
• Adhere to all GMP and SQF procedures.
• Work with vendors to identify ingredient improvements, innovative ingredient applications and process improvements.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Must have a minimum of 3 years' experience in product development formulating nutritional and food products.
• Ability to work with others in a high-paced environment.
• Organizational skills to manage multiple projects, timelines and communication to appropriate team members.
• Sensory evaluation skills, be able to set up, conduct and analyze results.
• General knowledge of manufacturing procedures, capabilities, and departments (i.e. powder blending and filling, liquid processing and filling, etc.)
• Bachelor's degree in food science, chemistry or biology required, Masters in Food Science a plus.
• Dietary supplement formulation experience a plus.
• Experience with Genesis Nutrition Software a plus.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES

• Must have excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
• Must have strong analytical skills.
• Passion for the creation of new and exciting products
• Self-starter that is naturally curious and enjoys working in a fast-paced innovation centric environment
• Project management, attention to detail and organizational skills

BENEFITS & SALARY

The Jel Sert Company is committed to pay transparency and will provide further compensation information during the interview process. The minimum compensation for the Formulations Scientist is $68,584. Compensation is determined by a candidate's experience, education, skills, training, and internal equity within our organization. Actual compensation will be determined upon an offer. In addition to a competitive compensation package, regular full-time corporate employees of Jel Sert are eligible for our extensive benefits programs, which can be reviewed here.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Standing: Remaining upright on the feet, particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally form position to position.
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with whole hand or arm as in handling.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.
• Hearing: perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and making fine discriminations in sound.
• Repetitive Motions: Making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs on an as needed basis
• Ability to climb stairs in order to get to areas of the facility to perform job responsibilities.
• Pushing and pulling of carts on an as needed basis.
• Ability to use senses; taste, touch, smell and sight.
• Close visual acuity to perform activities: preparing and analyzing data and figures, viewing a computer terminal, reading, visual inspection of materials, operating laboratory devices, etc.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Mainly lab environment with some office and plant work. In the lab environment, one will work, from time to time, with hazardous chemicals with supplied safety equipment and is subject to atmospheric conditions such as dust.

FOOD SAFETY RESPONSIBLITIES

Follow applicable procedures and work instructions.

Monitor QCP, if applicable QCCP's

Back-up to R & D Manager

IMPACT ON JEL SERT SUCCESS

Development of new Jel Sert formulations and new contract formulations in general is integral to the success and growth of Jel Sert as a whole.