R&D Food Scientist - Product Improvement

Position Title:R&D Food Scientist - Product Improvement
Position Type: Regular - Full-Time
Requisition ID: 29746
We are passionate about potatoes. But we're even more passionate about our People!
McCain knows the importance that food plays in people's lives - the power it has to bring people, families and communities together. That is why our purpose is celebrating real connections through delicious, planet-friendly food. We are customer obsessed. We do this by succeeding together with our teams, business and community partners around the world because we know when we work and grow together, we succeed together. Be a part of our family!
Job purpose:
Within the Continental Europe McCain R&D team, the primary role of the R&D Food Scientist is to deliver new products fitting brief or improved existing products with savings opportunities. This role is within the appetizer team as an R&D product improvement food scientist.
As a Food Scientist - Product Improvement you will provide product development and technical leadership to support the delivery of Continental Europe product improvement initiatives: cost savings and renovation projects. These projects will span discovery, feasibility, development, and implementation phases of product formulation projects.
You will play a pivotal role in leading the technical plan, and in executing project with high quality standard, in line with timing & cost targets. This outcome have to be achieved whilst complying with regulatory, quality and food safety requirements.
Key Responsibilities:
Cost saving and renovation:
Lead and deliver independently technical projects end to end.
Some tasks will include:

• Generate product briefs and timelines taking into consideration project steps.
• Work collaboratively and cross-functionally with all functions (R&D, Marketing, Sales, Quality, Manufacturing, Procurement, ...) to influence and drive projects forward
• Proof of concept testing to determine savings and feasibility.
• Prepare and Conduct trials (plant and lab scale) to execute the ideas.
• Organize sensory tastings to validate with the business the projects.
• Lead full implementation completing all required documentations and systems (quality, regulatory, specifications)
• Develop clear communication on technical feasibility assessment, risk mitigation plan, results as examples to present to your manager, key stakeholders and during internal forum instances.

Actively build ideas to identify new cost reduction projects

• Assess portfolio, Traveling to the plants, Connecting with the global and cross-functional teams, working with the extended network (suppliers, co-manufacturers, ...).

Proactively maintain technical knowledge to input into the product improvement project pipeline

• Generation of project brief and timelines taking into consideration all aspects of the project from gate 1 to gate 4 as project technical lead in collaboration with the project team and in partnership with the commercial lead.

General Team support

• Participate to local and global team meetings to build the network, share the saving results, ways of working and stimulate ideation.
• Based on specific needs, participate to additional R&D activities (trial support, sensory test, meetings, ...)

Storage Management

• Maintain the cold and dry stores following HACCP procedures in place.

About you:

• Master's degree in food science
• Working in an FMCG company as a R&D food scientist / a project manager experience for a period of 3-5 years.
• Team player: Working in a team in a supporting role.
• English intermediate level
• Fluency in Dutch is mandatory
• Basic Microsoft Office knowledge
• Basic knowledge of food safety
• Strong project management skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks planning and organizing daily workload.
• Sense of creativity and curiosity
• Strong business acumen, influencing and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work both as an individual and as a team player with good listening skills.
• Ability to communicate independently to key stakeholders.
• Full driving license
• Mobility: willingness to travel (travels are required: 30%).

What we offer:

• A challenging but very rewarding role within an effective and international team (flat hierarchies).
• Global career growth and learning opportunities.
• Competitive salary and attractive benefits
• Opportunity to work independently in a challenging and international environment.
• Partial working from home is possible.
• Friendly atmosphere

More information about McCain:
McCain is a family company and the world market leader in the frozen potato products market, with 22,000 employees worldwide. McCain promotes values of integrity, authenticity, commitment, and solidarity by being an agent of change in a context where the safety of all is paramount.
To achieve this, actions in favor of environmental protection have been put in place: sustainable agriculture, efficient use of resources, quality food and prosperous communities.
More information on our website https://www.mccain.com/
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McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. We see value in ensuring we have a diverse, antiracist, inclusive, merit-based, and equitable workplace. As a global family-owned company we are proud to reflect the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that diversity drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger.
McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.
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Job Family: Research & Development
Location(s): NL - Netherlands : Zeeland : Rilland || NL - Netherlands : Flevoland : Lelystad || NL - Netherlands : Gelderland : Wezep || NL - Netherlands : Other : Reference job description || NL - Netherlands : Zeeland : Kruiningen || NL - Netherlands : Zeeland : Lewedorp || NL - Netherlands : Zeeland : Yerseke
Company: McCain Foods Holland B.V.