We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Principal Scientist to join our Seasonings & Ingredients team within the Land O’Lakes Dairy Foods R&D + Culinary organization. This role will focus on creating and executing foundational research projects aimed at driving innovation and competitiveness of our team and business in spray-dried dairy-based seasonings. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in food-related research and spray-dried product development, excellent project management skills, and a passion for continuous learning and innovation.
Key Responsibilities:
Own the design and execution of foundational research projects to develop novel insights and enhance the technical capabilities of the Seasonings & Ingredients R&D team.
Lead collaboration with cross-functional R&D and non-R&D teams, including Food Chemistry, Process Engineering, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, Quality, and Operations, to ensure alignment and integration of projects with business objectives.
Mentor and train other team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development across diverse perspectives and skill sets.
Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge in the seasonings and ingredients industry.
Communicate project progress, findings, and recommendations to senior leadership and stakeholders.
Qualifications:
Graduate Degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., Chemistry, Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering) with a minimum of 10 years of experience in food ingredient research and/or spray-dried product development, or equivalent experience.
Proven track record of leading successful R&D projects and driving technical innovation in the food industry.
Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple research projects simultaneously.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, ability to clearly communicate scientific concepts to non-scientific stakeholders, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
Ability to effectively and professionally represent Land O’Lakes R&D capabilities and recommendations directly to strategic customers’ R&D teams.
Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop others.
Additional Skills:
Expertise in advanced analytical techniques, experimental design, data analysis and interpretation for dry seasonings and ingredients.
Experience with food formulation development, emulsions, ingredient functionality, process optimization, and scale-up challenges in spray drying.
Critical and creative problem-solving skills, adaptability to changing priorities, and ability to work effectively under project time-line pressures.
High level of integrity, professionalism, and business acumen focused on driving positive financial impacts through technology.
Ability to anticipate, drive, and align cross-functional teams around future technical needs, with technical depth in multiple areas.
Travel required: Less than 10%
Salary: $120,880-$181,320
This role will include relocation assistance where applicable.
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About Land O'Lakes, Inc.
Join us and be part of a Fortune 250, farmer- and member-owned cooperative that is reimagining the business of food. We have been named a Top Workplace by Indeed and LinkedIn, and to the TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.
Benefits for most full-time roles include medical, dental, vision, PTO, life & disability insurance, education assistance, a 401k and a variety of well-being resources. Most part-time employees are eligible for prorated PTO, holiday pay, employee development programs, prorated education assistance, and a 401(k).
Land O'Lakes, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) M/F/Vets/Disabled. The company maintains a drug-free workforce, including post-employment substance abuse testing pursuant to a Drug and Alcohol Policy.
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