R&D Senior Scientist, Product Development (BCP & Productivity)

Location(s):

Mexico

City/Cities:

Ciudad de Mexico

Travel Required:

00% - 25%

Relocation Provided:

No

Job Posting End Date:

June 4, 2025

Shift:

Job Description Summary:

Scope & Impact

The R&D Senior Scientist, Product Development, has full responsibility over a set of projects for Business Continuity and Productivity Programs across Categories acting as enabler with Category Teams. It integrates the former responsibilities of the GDI Category Leader, Product Development, and Innovation & Experimentation (Commercialization).

It is part of this role deliver projects with a high degree of technical robustness, as well as managing the Commercialization timeline of the project.

Focus Areas

Key areas of focus of this role can be summarized as follows:

• GDI Project Execution & Management
• Project Commercialization
• Ensure technical diligence and robustness on each project.

KEY SUCCESS PARAMETERS

Work Focus

GDI Project Execution & Management, including Commercialization:

• Lead Business Continuity and Productivity E2E projects across Categories (Sparkling and Stills).
• Lead commercialization process for the market implementation of new product launches and product reformulations by working collaboratively and networking with all the necessary functions while ensuring compliance with KO standards and policies/ local regulation for the entire OU. Own the project timeline, manage and co-ordinate interactions among several entities (R&D, CPS, G2G, marketing, finance, technical and Bottling partners) to ensure effective process in place for each initiative as agreed standards and timelines.
• Responsible for designing product development approach, for elaborating project plan and for disciplined project execution. Delivers highly complex new product launches or product reformulations, from desk and benchtop level up to pilot and industrial scaling up, in a very advanced technical level. Recommend validated product solutions with an informed defined risk and formula cost analysis. 
• Responsible to develop set of specifications: Ingredient, Formula, Processing and Manufacturing Instructions (MMI), shelf-life recommendations. 
• Leads project meetings within the category, cross-functionally with marketing, customer management or technical groups. 
• Participates in team projects, cross-functional committees, or company-wide initiatives to share information, represent the GDI function perspective, or assist with product development, process modification, package development and marketing. 
• Drafts detailed & accurate reports for analyses, experiments, or projects.  Gathers and organizes information under tight timelines to support senior management's decision-making.  
• Connects with Global R&D (research & development) Teams to align on priorities, project scope and resources to support the Latin America plans.

People Leadership:

• This role is an individual contributor.
• Manages, coaches and trains students, technicians, or junior developers on specific project/task.
• Leads by influencing more junior developers and peers.
• Expected to become role-model of the function.

Communication Focus

Proper, timely and effective communication is key to this role’s success, it communicates internally with the R&D network, the OU’s Extended Category Team, global communities and externally with suppliers, partners, and associations.

The role requires a proper technical communication understanding.

Experience

• 7 years of deep knowledge and relevant experience in Research and Development roles and/or extensive experience and seniority on Commercialization roles.
• Experience integrating end-to-end technical scopes for innovation projects.
• Meaningful knowledge of expanded Technical Functions as Supply Chain, Quality, SRA, etc.

KEY KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS 

MASTERY OF (REQUIRED)  

• Technical knowledge and experience in food/beverage industry
• Project Management  
• Knowledge on product development process and the ability to contribute expertise
• Knowledge on Supply chain, Quality and Food Safety

BROAD EXPERTISE IN (GOOD TO HAVE)  

• Business Case creation and analysis, financial assessment of projects
• Consumer Science / Marketing

Our approach to business is to start with facts, based in science and our passion is to work towards a better shared future to make a difference in people’s lives, communities, and our planet.  Our scientists help support that future and we’re looking for an individual that will support the execution of new product development initiatives designed to create the robust pipeline of innovations across categories to meet the short and the long-term priorities of the region. The ideal candidate is a product development scientist with demonstrated skills in developing and/or reformulating food and beverage products from ideation through commercialization.  Must be able to lead small group of lab-based product developers. 

 

What You’ll Do for Us 

• Development of lab scale prototypes, producing pilot plans for both beverage-based parts and final products.  Prepares beverages and conducts analytical tests on taste and/or odor according to sensory guidelines, including qualifying taste panelists. 
• Designs, produces, and evaluates/assesses, through lab testing, a product prototype/sample against technical requirements, fit to concept or performance specifications. 
• Provides expertise and recommendations of best practices for production of beverage-based part or finished products during production trials with the plants or bottling partners, which includes consulting line managers as appropriate on milestones and general guidelines and proactively provides advice inside & outside R&D community. 
• Performs chemical analyses using instrumental methods to determine the composition of samples and prepares samples and sampling plan for ingredients, intermediate or finished products, or other materials to perform analyses. 
• Designs, develops, conducts and/or reviews experiments to deliver new products and evaluates ingredient, product or packaging safety, efficacy, or claims; or evaluate new ingredients, materials, products, or processes. 
• Writes detailed & accurate reports for analyses, experiments, or projects.  Gathers and organizes information under tight timelines to support senior management's decision-making. 
• Participates in team projects, interdepartmental/divisional committees, or company-wide initiatives to share information, represent the department/division perspective or assist with product development, process modification, package development and marketing. 
• Works on product development projects assigned by line manager from idea generation to formula finalization through close discussion and alignment with Technical and Marketing team and all other stakeholders. 
• Leverages prior education, suppliers, and literature to innovate within scope of briefs provided by other technical experts or supervisor. 
• Applies food science knowledge of ingredients, packaging, processing to assure safe and high-quality products. 
• Participates in commercialization scale test at manufacturing line with QA and commercialization team if needed. 
• Leads project meetings within the category, cross-functionally with marketing, customer management or technical groups. Manages, coaches, and trains students, technicians, or junior developers on specific project/tasks 

 

Qualification & Requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry or related field is required, Master’s degree or PHD is preferred 
• 7+ years successful experience in product development in the beverage industry. 
• Project Management: Knowledge of project management principles and the ability to apply the principles, tools, and techniques to develop/plan, manage or execute projects or work plans to ensure successful completion (e.g., on time, within budget).  
• Building Technical Relationships: Ability to apply technical knowledge and establish credibility with highly technical audiences in order to build technical relationships that will benefit customers or the Company.  
• Ingredients: Knowledge of and experience with key ingredients used in production of concentrates and beverage bases (e.g., caramel, citric acid, sodium benzoate, phosphoric acid, natural flavors).  
• Beverage Manufacturing: Knowledge of and ability to apply carbonated and non-carbonated beverage processing techniques (e.g., proportioning, carbonating, syrup manufacturing, filling). Ability to apply technical knowledge and establish credibility through written reports and verbal presentations with highly technical audiences to build technical relationships that will benefit customers, or the Company is needed.
• Basic Flavor Chemistry: General knowledge of the organic chemistry of essential oils and other flavor compounds relevant to Company products. 
• Flavor Industry Knowledge: Knowledge of flavoring materials, the flavor industry and the trade organizations that represent them. 
• Computer Skills: Knowledge of Microsoft suite of programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), formula/database type systems, and capable user.  
• Basic Organic Chemistry: Knowledge of basic organic structures, reactions, functional groups and properties needed to understand the reactions of organic compounds in Company products. This includes the understanding of moderately complex principles to problem-solve package or ingredient related issues.  
• Endurance: Willingness and ability to occasionally function effectively over extended periods of time.  Ability to be flexible and adjust priorities based on business needs.  

 

What We Can Do For You 

• Purpose Driven: Purpose driven approach that empowers our people to protect the environment and communities we serve while delivering safe & quality products. 
• Global Connections: Allows you to develop, enhance and maintain global connections that allow us to move faster and learn from others. 
• Community of Belonging: We’re an organization that believes our ability to continually grow and build the right atmosphere where people feel safe and empowered, lets you bring your best self to work.  

Skills:

Chemistry, Communication, Continual Improvement Process, Data Compilation, Environmental Science, Food Safety Management, Food Sciences, Food Technology, Green Solutions, Laboratory Testing, Leadership, Microbiology, Product Development, Quality Control (QC), Researching, Sensory Testing, Waterfall Model

Our Purpose and Growth Culture:

We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.