Senior Food Scientist

This role leads the development, optimization, and commercialization of food products and ingredient systems, with a primary focus on dry blends, seasonings, sauces, breaders, batters, and related value-added food solutions. It combines hands-on bench-top formulation with plant-scale commercialization to deliver innovative, high-quality products that meet customer requirements, regulatory standards, and operational objectives.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of new products and the reformulation of existing products within dry blend, seasoning, sauce, batter, and breading categories.
• Perform hands-on bench-top formulation, ingredient evaluation, prototype development, and product optimization to achieve desired performance and quality.
• Design and execute experimental trials to improve flavor, texture, functionality, shelf life, and cost efficiency of products.
• Develop products that align with customer specifications, processing capabilities, regulatory requirements, and margin objectives.
• Conduct competitive product evaluations, benchmarking, and ingredient assessments to inform product development strategies.
• Maintain accurate formulation records, project documentation, and technical reports to ensure traceability and knowledge sharing.
• Lead scale-up activities from laboratory prototypes through pilot and commercial production, ensuring smooth transitions to manufacturing.
• Collaborate with Operations and Quality teams to ensure successful implementation of new products and processes in the plant environment.
• Support first production runs, process validations, and manufacturing troubleshooting efforts to ensure consistent product performance.
• Evaluate processing parameters and identify opportunities to improve product consistency, yield, efficiency, and quality.
• Develop clear manufacturing instructions, process specifications, and product standards to support ongoing production.
• Serve as the technical lead for assigned customer and innovation projects, providing direction and technical expertise.
• Provide scientific and technical guidance to junior scientists, technicians, and cross-functional teams to build technical capability.
• Communicate technical findings, recommendations, and project updates to leadership and customers in a clear and concise manner.
• Participate in customer meetings and support technical presentations and product demonstrations to showcase capabilities and solutions.
• Ensure all formulations meet food safety, regulatory, labeling, and specific customer requirements.
• Work closely with Quality and Regulatory teams to support product documentation, ingredient approvals, and compliance activities.
• Assist with shelf-life studies, stability testing, and sensory evaluations to validate product performance over time.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to quality systems, product performance, and process efficiency.
• Manage multiple development projects simultaneously while meeting timelines and business objectives.
• Develop project plans, milestones, and resource requirements to ensure effective project execution.
• Coordinate activities across departments to ensure timely product launches and responsive support for customer needs.

Requirements

• 7+ years of food product development experience, ideally 7–10 years; candidates with 5+ years may be considered with highly relevant formulation experience.
• Hands-on formulation experience with dry blends, seasonings, breaders, batters, sauces, or related ingredient systems.
• Proven experience taking products from concept through commercialization, including plant trials, scale-up, and manufacturing support.
• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Strong food science knowledge with the ability to apply scientific principles to product development and problem solving.
• Demonstrated experience across the product development life cycle, from ideation and formulation through commercialization.
• Experience with scale-up activities and translating bench-top formulations into robust manufacturing processes.
• Solid understanding of food safety and regulatory requirements relevant to formulated food products.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple development projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Effective communication skills to present technical information and collaborate with cross-functional teams and customers.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills to troubleshoot formulation and processing issues.

Qualifications

• Experience working with co-manufacturers and supporting external production partnerships.
• Experience supporting or presenting to national accounts or large customers.
• Customer-facing experience, including technical presentations, product demonstrations, or educational sessions.
• Experience serving as a technical lead on cross-functional product development projects.
• Ability to mentor and guide junior scientists and technicians in formulation and commercialization activities.
• Comfort working in both laboratory and plant environments while balancing technical and project leadership responsibilities.

Work Environment

The role operates in both office and laboratory settings, providing exposure to a normal office atmosphere as well as a food laboratory environment. While performing duties, the Senior Food Scientist may work around ingredient dust, food aromas, and typical laboratory and plant noise. The position involves hands-on bench work, collaboration with cross-functional teams in office spaces, and participation in pilot and commercial production runs within manufacturing facilities.

Pay

$90,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year.

Benefits

• Dental, health, and vision insurance (full benefits package in development).

Schedule

Permanent, fully onsite position based in Fort Mill, SC.