Meat Scientist

Amylu Foods is a high-growth, woman-founded, natural and health CPG company known for its fresh ingredients and hand-crafted recipes. As pioneers in the chicken sausage category, we combine innovation with tradition, delivering bold and fresh flavors. Rooted in Chicago and celebrating 100+ years of craftsmanship, we continue to expand our product offerings and distribution nationwide.

About the role

The Meat Scientist will lead the technical development, scale-up, and lifecycle support of new meat protein products and processes in partnership with corporate sales, customers, and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Product Development & Formulation
  • Develops product prototypes through benchtop formulation and iterative testing.
  • Designs new products and improves existing formulations that translate successfully to full-scale production while meeting culinary, financial, nutritional, and customer expectations.
  • Identifies and documents equipment, tooling, and machine settings needed for processing.
  • Leads cross-functional coordination and execution of trials in the plant.
  • Evaluates prototypes for sensory qualities to meet customer expectations.
• Process Development & Scale-Up
  • Supports pilot and commercial-scale trials by providing technical preparation, on-site execution support, and post-trial evaluation.
  • Adapts formulations and processes to meet the technical and operational capabilities of the assigned manufacturing facility.
  • Collaborates with Operations to optimize processes and production performance within approved product specifications.
  • Applies food safety, quality, and shelf-life principles during development and scale-up to ensure consistent product performance.
  • Supports yield improvement and cost-reduction initiatives by analyzing process performance, material usage, and formulation efficiency.
• Commercialization & Cross-Functional Support
  • Supports product commercialization activities by providing technical input, formulation expertise, and process knowledge.
  • Schedules, supports, and leads product evaluations for internal screenings and customer presentations.
  • Communicates with internal stakeholders and customers regarding product development progress as needed.
  • Identifies, evaluates, and implements cost-saving opportunities related to formulation and process changes in support of ongoing product optimization.
  • Serves as technical owner for assigned products post-commercialization, supporting continuous improvement, issue resolution, and product consistency over the product lifecycle.
• Regulatory, Quality & Documentation
  • Reviews and proofs product labels to ensure regulatory compliance.
  • Creates, manages, and maintains product and process specifications.
  • Maintains accurate project records and completes required departmental administrative tasks related to development and commercialization activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Meat Science, Food Science, or another related field.
• 1+ years of food product development experience, with a preference for experience in meat protein.
• Knowledge of food processing technologies.
• Knowledge of microbiology and product shelf-life control.
• Knowledge of USDA and FDA regulations.
• Strong working knowledge of computers, specifically Microsoft Office products.
• Travel approximately 5% of time.
• Spend approximately 20-40% of time in the manufacturing plant.
• Ability to stand for long periods (10-15%) of time in plant conditions/cold temperatures (40-50°F).
• Ability to lift 50 lbs.
• Can work independently, skilled at planning, organizing, prioritizing, and executing simultaneous projects and activities.
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate with cross-functional teams during all stages of development.
• Effectively deals with ambiguity and changes consistent with a fast-paced growing company.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Meat Science, Food Science, Food Process Engineering, or another related field.
• Meat manufacturing experience.
• Experience working in a USDA regulated facility.
• Lean/Six Sigma certification.
• Bilingual, English/Spanish preferred.
• Strong communication and technical writing skills.

Pay

Pay Range: $75,000 - $85,000 per year.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with a company match of up to 3.5%.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) plus 40hrs paid sick leave plus 8 paid holidays.