Food Scientist – Product Development

Purpose and Scope/General Summary: This position places you within the largest global poultry company. This role is based out of our US Headquarters, which is located in beautiful Northern Colorado, with quick access to national parks, hiking trails, ski slopes and numerous outdoor activities. Through our values and culture, here at JBS & Pilgrim’s we are dedicated to feeding the world and being the best in all we do.

As a Food Scientist, you will be responsible for the development of new products and improvement of existing products. You will work closely with Operations, Operational Excellent (OE), Research and Optimization (R&O), Quality Assurance (QA), Category Marketing, Innovation, Culinary, Regulatory, Procurement, and Sales teams to drive execution of the Fresh and Prepared Poultry strategies by developing, optimizing, and commercializing products. This role will be focused on product development supporting customers’ product needs.

Responsibilities:

• Execute development of new products and improvement of existing products to meet customer, brand, and operations requirements as related to cost, quality, and yield.
• Perform pilot product development and renovation up to and through commercialization, analyzing results and making recommendations for full-scale implementation.
• Engage directly with vendors for benchtop, pilot line, and commercial scale requests, including troubleshooting product and process opportunities in formulation functionality and shelf-life.
• Engage with vendors in new strategic platform development, product improvement, and line extensions via technical briefs and discussions.
• Participate in product development conversations through product sampling, technical communication, and presentations as technical touchpoint to customers related to new product development, product improvement, and specification improvement of value-added products.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to address quality or yield issues of individual product specifications and processes.
• Communicate technical development activities like design of experiment, costing, data analysis, etc. to cross-functional teams with simplicity.
• Collaborate with Operations, OE, R&O, Category Marketing, and QA teams on new product development and product/process renovation for quality and yield opportunities.
• Work cross-functionally with Marketing, Innovation, Sales, Culinary, Operations, QA, Regulatory, and Procurement teams in accordance to stage-gate process.
• Collaborate with sensory and R&O teams to validate sensory outcomes and shelf-life requirements.
• Prepare technical data collection plans and results reports independently.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science required, Degree in Meat Science, Poultry Science, Engineering, or related field strongly preferred.
• BS & 3-5 years of relevant experience
• MS & 0-2 years of relevant experience
• Experience working in food manufacturing facility, operations, or continuous improvement strongly preferred.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Well-versed in Project Management Systems and Recipe Development (e.g., SAP).
• Good understanding of USDA and/or FDA guidelines with occasional support from manager.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Microsoft TEAMS / Cisco Webex.
• Can perform the functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation
• As a salaried position with the company, you may be required to travel at some point to other facilities, to attend Company events, or as a representative of the Company in other situations. Unless otherwise specified in this posting, the amount of travel may vary and the most qualified candidate must be willing and able to travel as business needs dictate.

The applicant who fills this position will be eligible for the following compensation and benefits:

• Benefits: Vision, Medical, and Dental coverage begin after 60 days of employment;
• Paid Time Off: sick leave, vacation, and 6 company observed holidays;
• 401(k): company match begins after the first year of service and follows the company vesting schedule;
• Base salary range of $60,000 - $70,000;
• Incentive Pay: This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s annual bonus plan, the amount of bonus varies and is subject to the standard terms and conditions of the incentive program; and
• Career Development: Our company is dedicated to supporting professional growth by offering continuous learning opportunities and a focus on career growth through various learning and development programs.

For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in states where it is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for any given position, compensation ranges are specific to those states and takes into account various factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to a candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiencies for the role.

This position does not have an application deadline. We will continue to recruit until the position has been filled. 

The Company is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our team members and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct drug, alcohol, and background checks for all new team members post-offer and prior to the start of employment. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of the third day of work.

About us: Pilgrim’s is the second largest chicken producer in the world, with operations in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico and the U.K. Pilgrim’s processes, prepares, packages and delivers fresh, further-processed and value-added poultry products for sale to customers in more than 100 countries, employs more than 50,000 people and contracts with more than 5,200 family farmers. Pilgrim’s is headquartered in beautiful Greeley, Colorado, at the JBS USA corporate office where our 1,200 employees enjoy more than 300 days of sunshine a year.

Our mission: To be the best in all that we do, completely focused on our business, ensuring the best products and services to our customers, a relationship of trust with our suppliers, profitability for our shareholders and the opportunity of a better future for all of our team members.

Our core values are: Availability, Determination, Discipline, Humility, Ownership, Simplicity, Sincerity

EOE/Vets/Disability

Unsolicited Assistance: JBS and its companies do not accept unsolicited assistance from any recruitment vendors for any of our open jobs. All resumes or candidate profiles submitted by recruitment vendors or headhunters to any employee at JBS and its companies or via the applicant tracking system, in any form without a valid written request and search agreement previously approved by HR, will be solely owned by JBS and its companies. No fees will be paid should the candidate be hired by JBS and its companies because of an unsolicited referral.