R&D Senior Scientist

About the Position

As an R&D Senior Scientist with PepsiCo, you will have unique opportunities to increase technical knowledge by participating in the development of a diverse portfolio of beverage and snack product categories. The teams translate strategic market objectives into new products and processes, optimize designs per consumer response, and select winning ideas for commercialization. Additional responsibilities will be recognizing specific product-related opportunities to maximize market performance of existing brands and applying solid project management skills to ensure clear communication of project scope, timing, and success criteria. Scientists participate in and lead accelerated product development life cycles that include new idea generation, prototype development, product optimization, and production start-up for test market and national launching of new products. Successful candidates thrive in an environment of fast-paced, consumer-driven product development and will use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods; analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein; discover new food sources; research ways to make processed foods safe, palatable, and healthful; and apply food science knowledge to determine best ways to process, package, preserve, store, and distribute food.

Responsibilities

• Utilize scientific methods to develop knowledge that creates business opportunities that support the company strategic market objectives
• Provide technical risk assessment/perspectives related to new product development
• Design and execute experiments, and analyze and interpret data to make sound technical recommendations on product and process issues
• Support development of new technology to maintain and grow the business
• Leverage external and internal experts for key analytical and sensory research
• Perform basic economic evaluations on ingredients, ingredients suppliers, and product formulations
• Develop product formulations that leverages expertise in food chemistry and food ingredient functionality with significant time (approximately 60-75%) spent in lab or pilot plant generating data and pursuing technical solutions
• Develop complete product attribute specifications for new products
• Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development
• Highly developed critical thinking skills required in order to determine various potential technical solutions and solve technical problems utilizing standard research methodology
• Partner externally to source ingredients and leverage vendor expertise in ingredient functionality
• Participate as an active member of cross-functional business development teams comprised of individuals from a variety of disciplines, including Marketing, Purchasing, Engineering, and other groups
• Actively participates in safety related activities, works safely, and according to all safety and quality procedures and policies, and proactively contributes to safety observations
• COVID-19 vaccination is a condition of employment for this role. Please note that all such company vaccine requirements provide the opportunity to request an approved accommodation or exemption under applicable law

Requirements

• Education: MS or Ph.D. in Food Science or other related disciplines
• Experience: MS + 3-5 years experience with a CPG company or PhD + 1-2 yrs experience (including internships and coop)
• Skills:
  • Utilizes in-depth knowledge of ingredient functionality and advanced problem-solving skills to translate strategic direction into tactical plans and implementation activities
  • Strongly influences project direction on complex projects
  • Highly technical and specialized individual contributor
  • Demonstrated ability to translate business objectives into strategic and tactical project goals and objectives
  • Proven ability to make significant technical scientific advances utilizing internal and/or external resources
  • Demonstrated understanding of how to incorporate business needs into technical decisions
  • The ability and interest to work in laboratory, pilot plant, and manufacturing scale environments
  • Proven ability to manage multiple assignments/tasks and have strong project management skillset
  • Strong communication skills (oral and written)

Nice to Have

• Willingness to travel up to 25%, including international locations

We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Relocation Eligible: Eligible for Limited Relocation
• Job Type: Regular

About the Company

PepsiCo is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Female / Minority / Disability / Protected Veteran / Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity. Our Company will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and all other applicable laws, including but not limited to, San Francisco Police Code Sections 4901 - 4919, commonly referred to as the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance; and Chapter XVII, Article 9 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, commonly referred to as the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

Location: Plano, TX, USA

Employment Type: Full-time

Job Functions: Scientist

Topics: Food & Beverages