R&D - Food Scientist II

Job Responsibilities

• Manage new product development from concept through commercialization for Plant based food category, with a focus on tofu.
• Provide product excellence management from manufacturing process improvement and co-packing products as assigned.
• Maintain development and maintenance of QMS for assigned products.
• Lead process improvement for quality and cost reduction; troubleshoot for product quality and productivity; monitor product quality and improvement of co-packing and import items in the areas needed.
• Research and identify new materials, suppliers, and co-packers for new projects and existing product lines.
• Work with vendors, process engineers, food scientists, packaging engineers, R&D chefs and marketing specialists to understand available technology and provide ideas, solutions, and alternatives to meet food safety, quality, costs, and customer requirements.
• Identify prospective co-packers as needed for NPD project assigned, conduct scale-up testing and launch products working cross-functionally.
• Provide update of progress and status of all formal R&D projects by utilizing project management skill sets in line with NPD process.
• Maintain awareness of market trends and comparative products from all major retailers/competitors and recommend product development ideas in line with those trends and coordinate interdepartmental activities.
• Apply a wide range of food science and technology, microbiology and chemistry knowledge to identify the root-causes of product defects and propose preventive actions.
• Afford assistance with special project assignments as needed.

Qualifications

• B.S degree in food science/food technology or similar is required.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant work experience in a food manufacturing company.
• Plant based food or tofu industrial experience preferred.
• Knowledge and experience working with vendors for new ingredient/alternate supplier sourcing.
• Experience in food product development and commercialization, with experience in processing and process flow design.
• Food packaging application experience a plus.
• Proficiency in MS Office and strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with NPD process a plus.
• Self-directed with the ability to work independently as well as with cross-functional groups.
• Bilingual in Korean a plus.