ASR Group is the world’s largest refiner and marketer of cane sugar, with an annual production capacity of more than 6 million tons of sugar. The company produces a full line of grocery, industrial, food service and specialty sweetener products. Across North America, ASR Group owns and operates six sugar refineries, located in Louisiana, New York, California, Maryland, Canada and Mexico. In Europe, the company owns and operates sugar refineries in England and Portugal. ASR Group also owns and operates mills in Mexico and Belize. The company’s brand portfolio includes the leading brands Domino®, C&H®, Redpath®, Tate & Lyle®, Lyle’s® and Sidul®. OVERVIEW The NPD Research Scientist II will be a leader on new product innovation and successfully develop and execute projects within the organization. Initial area of focus will include product development for the Tellus molded fiber business. The individual will independently research, design, conduct experiments, gather data, develop preliminary findings and prepare written reports to drive new/improved products, cost savings and unique technologies. They will identify individually or in collaboration with others, project barriers and recommend solutions. DETAILED ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES + Designs and develops new products from bench top to commercialization while staying within specified parameters of cost and label claims; evaluates new ingredients, verifies nutritional profiles, and conducts product or packaging stability assessments to deliver against design briefs. + Design, develop and validate methods for testing raw materials, finished products, stability and process validation and lead their implementation into the operational environment. + Create, review and update product specifications to ensure they meet quality, regulatory and performance requirements. + Supports development of pilot plant processes, systems, and technologies by keeping informed of new and existing equipment, approaches and techniques; designing experiments; preparing products for testing; evaluating test results; and providing conclusions or next steps. + Develops and implements projects while preserving a safe and accident-free laboratory environment. + Supports production trials with technical cross-functional team members that concentrate on validation of product formulation and function. + Documents processes and procedures in electronic notebooks, prepares technical reports, and develops product specifications for approval by Product Development, QA, and Regulatory. + Provides insights to sales and customers for new products and technologies that drive product portfolio and strategic vision. + Manages projects leveraging Product Development resources + Collaborates with cross functional teams through project meetings by providing technical direction and identifying solutions. + Leads the development of quality assurance programs partnering with QA. + Effectively uses technical and business acumen to explain concepts to technical and non-technical audiences, tailoring communications to meet diverse needs + Acts as a consultant for information for other technical personnel within the company + Complies with GMP/GLP rules and regulations while conducting experiments with a safe quality mindset. WORK EXPERIENCES + Bachelor’s degree with 5-8 years’ experience or Master’s Degree with 3-6 years’ experience in method development, formulation and product development from bench to scale up. + Hands-on experience of analytical and physical testing methodologies within the food industry ranging from food products to packaging, such as moisture, color, spectroscopy, pH, burst strength, tensile, stiffness, tear and porosity + Project management experience is required and can manage multiple work streams in parallel. + Familiar with Genesis or similar software preferred + Compusense Sensory Software a plus. + Experience with SAP PLM preferred. + Computer literacy in MS Outlook, Excel, Word, Access, Teams, Projects and Power Point are essential + Ability to communicate and present project updates and risks to R&D leadership EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS + BS or MS in Food Science, Nutrition, Chemistry, Biology, or related technology/engineering field is essential. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY + This role has no supervisory responsibility; but may mentor NPD Research Scientist I, Associate Food Scientist and R&D Technicians. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS + Less than 10% travel for business meetings; travel frequency will be minimal and will be based on business needs. ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES) + Analytical Thinking & Decision Making – Identifies and understands trends and/or issues; connects data points through analysis to arrive at a logical conclusion. + Customer Orientation - Keeps internal and/or external customer(s) in mind at all times. Strives to proactively address customer concerns and needs. + Effective Communication – Expresses ideas and information in a clear and concise manner by tailoring one's message to fit the interests and needs of the audience. + Establishes Trust – Gaining the confidence and faith of others by actions and words that promote being honest, forthcoming, integrious and vulnerable. + Problem-Solving – Anticipates, evaluates, diagnoses, and resolves problems in a systematic and fact-based manner. + Results Orientation & Accountability – Takes accountability, identifies, executes and drives actions to consistently achieve desired results. + Teamwork & Collaboration – Creates a climate that fosters commitment to a common vision and shared values that promote cooperation and working together through trust and support of others. + Adaptability/Flexibility – Maintaining effectiveness in varying environments and with different tasks, responsibilities and people. + Continuous Improvement – Establishes methods and utilizes specialized techniques to monitor and improve performance of systems and processes. + Self-Development – Seeks feedback on one’s strengths and weaknesses and initiates activities to increase or enhance their knowledge, skills, and proficiency to perform more effectively or enhance their career. We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.