R&D Scientist II (multiple positions)

About the role

Collaborate with business teams and external partners to identify opportunities for innovation, product improvements or cost improvements by challenging assumptions; Lead the development of great tasting, wholesome and nutritious wet petfood products that delight pets and pet parents; Manage and lead multiple technically complex projects from creation through commercialization by prioritizing work, coaching, and influencing others; Create technical plans, timelines, risk assessments, and mitigation plans so you may execute product commercialization efficiently and with excellence; Independently consult, design, and manage the appropriate testing required to meet business needs, enhance foundational knowledge and/or deliver bottom line cost savings; Navigate the General Mills and Blue Buffalo matrix to efficiently vet ideas and complete initial feasibility assessments as you scale-up from bench to pilot plant to production; Communicate effectively with marketing and business team partners to influence pipeline and strategy.

Responsibilities

• Apply thermal processing principles in the food industry, including heat transfer, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics, and oversee retort and/or extrusion processes for prototype testing and actively troubleshoot process-related issues.
• Apply food science, chemistry, and meat or meat-alternative processing knowledge to the formulation of food, including wet pet food production.
• Collaborate across internal functional teams (Marketing, Finance, Commercialization), and external partners to drive successful project and strategic execution in a global food company.
• Conduct consumer interviews and apply the findings into actionable directions and solutions for ongoing projects and product development.
• Design and execute pilot plant tests to assess the commercial viability of multiple benchtop prototype product enhancements.
• Work with food ingredient functionalities and applications within complex food systems, including starches, proteins, fats, and hydrocolloids, and their impact on food product texture and functionality to achieve desired outcomes.
• Manage projects, including leading and participating in cross-functional teams to ensure projects meet critical path and timeline requirements.
• Lead and mentor a small research team including overseeing their research project planning and experimental plans.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in food science, meat science, or related field and 3 years of experience in the job offered or in a product development and project leadership- related occupation.
• Experience applying thermal processing principles in the food industry, including heat transfer, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics, and overseeing retort and/or extrusion processes for prototype testing and actively troubleshooting process-related issues.
• Experience applying food science, chemistry, and meat or meat-alternative processing knowledge to the formulation of food, including wet pet food production.
• Experience collaborating across internal functional teams (Marketing, Finance, Commercialization), and external partners to drive successful project and strategic execution in a global food company.
• Experience conducting consumer interviews and applying the findings into actionable directions and solutions for ongoing projects and product development.
• Experience designing and executing pilot plant tests to assess the commercial viability of multiple benchtop prototype product enhancements.
• Experience working with food ingredient functionalities and applications within complex food systems, including starches, proteins, fats, and hydrocolloids, and their impact on food product texture and functionality to achieve desired outcomes.
• Experience managing projects, including leading and participating in cross-functional teams to ensure projects meet critical path and timeline requirements.
• Experience leading and mentoring a small research team including overseeing their research project planning and experimental plans.

Qualifications

Reasonable Accommodation Request If you need to request an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please fill out our online accommodations request form by following this link: Accommodations Request.

Skills

None specified in the job posting.

Benefits

At General Mills, we strive for each employee's pay at any point in their career to reflect their experiences, performance, and skills for their current role. The salary range for this role represents the numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to, education, skills, work experience, certifications, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range. Beyond base salary, General Mills offers a competitive Total Rewards package focusing on your overall well-being. We are proud to offer a foundation of health benefits, retirement and financial wellbeing, time off programs, well-being support and perks. Benefits may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors. You may also be eligible to participate in an annual incentive program. An incentive award, if any, depends on various factors, including, individual and organizational performance.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $103,917 - $116,900/Annually.

Schedule

No specific schedule provided.