Senior Scientist, Product Development-Sweet Baked Snacks Research & Development Team

*Due to the acquisition of Hostess Brands, we have several opportunities for new team members in our Sweet Baked Snacks team which will be permanently located in Orrville, Ohio! *

Your Opportunity as the Senior Scientist, Product Development-Sweet Baked Snacks Research & Development Team

In this role you will use your understanding of food science/product development to lead and perform critical experimental work of applied research and/or development including planning experiments, generating, and analyzing data, and sharing recommendations to a cross-functional team. As a Sr. Scientist of Product Development and Formulation, you will be a product expert in Sweet Baked Snacks, and your input into project briefs will shape its evolution. Sr. Scientist of Product Development and Formulation Scientists plan and execute a broad range of technical tasks and must be able to work effectively independently or within a team. Your work is typically “hands on” in a lab, in a plant or pilot plant, at a critical site, on a computer, or with consumers for all Sweet Baked Snacks.

Location: Corporate Offices in Orrville, Ohio

Work Arrangements: Ability to travel up to 30% on an ongoing basis (travel frequency dependent on projects and product launch pipeline). Due to the transition of the team from Lenexa, Kansas to Orrville, OH travel may be higher in the first 6 months (Up to 50% at times).

In this role you will:

• Be a leader, product and subject-matter expert, and the “voice of the product” within Sweet Baked Snacks business.
• Collaborate with cross functional partners including: Brand Management, Insights, Product Research, Packaging Development, Sales, Engineering, and Operations in early-stage new product design. Lead discussion on food brief for design, functionality, and claims. Bring forward new ideas and technologies that could improve products or create new avenues or revenues
• Design products based on a business need, as defined by consumer insights, a product brief and learning plan, independently
• Formulate products based on ingredient functionality, nutritional targets, consumer need, claim substantiation, operational feasibility, and financial targets independently.
• Conduct experiments from rapid, iterative prototyping to development and scale-up (benchtop, pilot plant, plant). Be able to think creatively about how to design and test products
• Review and interpret data, from process trials, measurements from chemical/physical analysis, feeding studies, storage studies, statistical analysis, providing conclusions and recommendations to technical team and able to communicate to all levels of the organization. 
• Partner with other disciplines and resources, both internal and external to R&D and JMS, sharing information, building upon an integration of ideas
• Compose new and update existing documents such as specs (ingredients, finished product), reports, project updates, data analyses, laboratory notebooks, etc.
• Provide expertise to commercialization team to bring new products to market
• Look for and advise on legal and environmental aspects of projects that could provide a potential benefit to the company. Be aware of patent landscape in technical areas with expertise. Lead patent opportunities for new products.
• Assist as needed in providing innovative ideas leading to the creation of new products, cost savings/efficiency, and solving product related challenges
• Mentor other team members

The Right Place for You

We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.

What we are looking for:

Minimum Requirements:

• B.S. Degree in Food Science or Bakery Science preferred. Will consider other science, technology or engineering majors.
• 8+ years in product development CPG food or beverage.
• Passion for sweet baked snacks and baked goods.
• Subject-matter expert with food formulation. Deep understanding of other factors that can impact formulation including food safety, nutrition and regulatory, shelf life management, and interaction with process and packaging. Can develop new methodologies and testing techniques to meet project needs.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Excellent organizational, critical thinking, and creativity skills
• Project management experience is highly valued, as individual will collaborate cross functionally to manage costs, schedules, and resources for the work.
• Effective presentation, verbal, and written communication skills. Able to distill complex technical issues and communicate to non-technical cross functional team members
• Comfortable in ambiguous situations and able to provide leadership and direction on projects even if outside of technical expertise
• Lead by example and willingness to teach and mentor others
• Can work with personal and food safety in mind
• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs. Lead by example and willingness to teach and mentor others
• Can work with personal and food safety in mind
• Ability to travel up to 30% on an ongoing basis (travel frequency dependent on projects and product launch pipeline). Due to the transition of the team from Lenexa, Kansas to Orrville, OH travel may be higher in the first 6 months (Up to 50% at times)

Additional skills and experience that we think would make someone successful in this role:

• Culinary experience or culinary degrees in combination with a science, engineering, or technology degree
• Advanced degree (Masters and/or PhD)
• Baking Experience

 Learn more about working at Smucker:

• Our Total Rewards Benefits Program
• Our Thriving Together Philosophy Supporting All Impacted by Our Business 
• Our Continued Progress on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity 

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