Senior Research Scientist/Engineer, Plant Based Beverages

About the job

The Sr. Research Scientist will be tasked with becoming the product, technical category lead for Almond milk, Danone North America’s biggest plant-based beverage base. The Scientist is responsible for developing holistically superior plant-based beverages based on consumer and market understanding by collaborating with cross-functional team members. The Scientist is also tasked with developing the formula & process, then ensuring smooth scale-up in the factory while validating post-launch success. The role encompasses leading product development programs across innovation, renovation, and productivity.

This position involves strong interactions with internal cross-functional teams and external suppliers, hands-on bench and analytical work, pilot plant work, managing formula cost and specifications (ingredients and product & process), conducting and coordinating plant tests, and assisting in industrial scale-up. This position involves someone with strong technical curiosity and a willingness to learn and apply technical understandings around plant-based beverages. The candidate must have strong timeline management and communication skills and must be able to represent R&I interests during all project and cross-functional interactions.

In this role you will be accountable for:

• Learn the ins and outs of the almond milk ingredients, formulas, and manufacturing process, becoming the go-to person for questions, concerns and initiatives involving almond milk.
• Work within project teams as the R&I lead to develop formulas and processes, address technical hurdles, provide guidance related to commercialization, assess risks and manage R&I timelines.
• Contribute to innovation, renovation, and productivity pipeline outside chartered program work by engaging with the broader Denver/Boulder plant-based community, our suppliers, external partners, and internal consumer insights team.
• Design pilot trials (DOE), organize tasting sessions with Marketing, and draw conclusions and recommendations for next steps.
• Manage multiple projects at once, at times with conflicting priorities and timelines.
• Collaborate with suppliers to obtain the best results for product development (brief suppliers and follow up on their progress).
• Participate in consumer test design, organize sample production, and ensure product quality follow-up.
• Realize scale-up/industrialization with Engineering and Manufacturing departments and conduct shelf life studies.
• Participate as an R&I representative for product launch/start-up by preparing all specifications related to the product line (except packaging) and ensure that all documentation needed is available prior to start-up.
• Plan, execute, and manage the development of prototype products in lab, pilot plant, and at production facilities. Maintain stringent technical and experimental documentation.
• Source and maintain vendor relationships to secure the necessary ingredients that align with prevailing company standards. Evaluate new suppliers and/or ingredients.
• Ensure all developed products meet internal and external guidelines for nutrition, regulatory affairs, and food labeling.
• Become an internal subject matter expert for almond milk, providing solutions to challenging, technical projects.
• Become a mentor for junior developers on the plant-based beverage team.
• Identify opportunities to improve ways of working, and recommend and implement solutions that could benefit the individual + team.
• Network with Danone global R&I community to share best practices.
• Develop technology and process-focused products.
• Manage projects according to STAGE GATE PROCESS methodology.

About you

Qualifications:

• The following combination of education and experience is required for this position:
• Bachelor’s degree in Dairy Science, Food science, engineering, or a closely related field with at least 8 years of relevant progressive experience.
• Master’s degree in Dairy Science, Food science, engineering, or a closely related field with at least 6 years of relevant progressive experience.
• PhD degree in Dairy Science, Food science, engineering, or a closely related field with at least 4 years of relevant progressive experience.

• Strong technical skills in product formulation, industrial processes, and manufacturing practices.
• Preferred: some knowledge of plant-based development
• Experience in experimental and process design.
• Knowledge of principles of food process engineering and technical troubleshooting.
• Ability to transfer technology from pilot to industrial scale.
• Flexibility to travel (25%) & willingness to support plant trials outside of business hours.
• Strong project management/organization and leadership skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and able to train staff.
• Proficient in product development systems and general computer skills.
• Comfortable and passionate about creating, rapid prototyping, development, and commercialization of ideas under tight timelines.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage and track multiple projects.

About Danone

At Danone North America, you’ll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world like Activia, Silk, Two Good, Oikos, evian, and Happy Family. You’ll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world, working together to make sure our brands create real benefits for people, communities, and the planet. We have 6,000+ employees across the U.S. and Canada. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America doesn’t just welcome what makes you unique, we value it. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All hires to our team are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We recruit, employ, train, and promote regardless of race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, genetic characteristic, or any other protected status. Faithful to our values of openness and humanism, all of our employees share in the commitment to engage one another with dignity and respect.