Food Scientist

Job Title: Food Scientist Location: Bayonne, NJ or Chicago, IL Department: Innovation FLSA Status: Exempt Safety Sensitive: No Position Summary Reporting to the Innovation Manager, the Food Technologist will manage innovation projects and product development projects for Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) – Private Label Spice Blends. This position will work closely with the Innovation Manager to drive the internal innovation strategy and deliver value by generating quality products and solutions, managing scale‑up and commercialization of products, conducting root cause analysis when appropriate, and generating robust technical documentation as required. The Food Technologist will work with the Innovation department to provide solutions that meet both internal and external customer needs. Specifically, the Food Technologist will lead and perform the required development of new spice blends and related spice‑containing products, conduct matching of national branded spice blend and spice‑containing products, source and qualify new raw materials and suppliers, conduct pilot plant trials, oversee first production runs, troubleshoot production issues, analyze data, interpret results, and write specifications and reports. Position Responsibilities Manage innovation projects, communicate, and coordinate with internal stakeholders as well as customers. Maintain a thorough understanding of the current food and ingredient trends across our business specifically for retail, private label, and spice blends. Perform product development activities focused on developing spice blends and related products from bench top to commercialization. Perform matching development activities by reverse engineering branded products and formulating corresponding private label products that are sensory, ingredient statement and nutrition matches to the branded products. Generate and maintain technical documentation including raw material specifications, WIP specifications, ingredient statements, and nutrition facts panels (NFP) as required. Provide information to internal stakeholders to drive the business strategy and deliver value generating innovative solutions. Identify opportunities for ingredients, formulation, and process optimization to enhance quality, reduce costs and ensure consistency of Olam products. Prepare responses to customer inquiries with adequate scientific and technical evidence and provide solutions. Provide expertise in development of new innovative products and solutions within spice blends category both internally and externally with customers. Responsible for maintaining accurate records of formulations, procedures, and processes in appropriate electronic systems and platforms. Support in quality and operations for the processing and commercialization of new innovations. Ensure all food developments meet all required food and safety, consumer, and industry standards. Perform other duties as assigned. Position Requirements Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Microbiology, Food Chemistry, or related field is required. Masters Degree is preferred. Five (3-5) years of relevant work experience in product development. Previous development experience with spice blends is preferred. Solid understanding of GMPs, food safety, and food quality fundamentals is required. Previous experience in a manufacturing environment conducting plant trials and production runs is required. Proficient in Microsoft Office Products is required. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills are required. Ability to work with multiple cross‑functional teams and geographies as well as with internal and external customers. Proven ability to interact effectively with department, company or customer associates and experience in a team‑oriented environment is required. Compensation The pay for this role in the state of NJ ranges from $87,000 - $116,000 and is based on the position responsibilities and geographic location. Actual pay within this range may be determined based on candidate’s experience, qualifications and/or other determining factors. EEO Statement ofi provides equality of opportunity for all persons with respect to hiring without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation. All employment will be decided based on qualifications, merit and business need. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us for support at: hire@ofi.com. At ofi, we celebrate our diversity. Olam Americas Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. #J-18808-Ljbffr