Job Summary:
Guides product development and process improvement efforts in Renovation R&D by organizing, managing, and coordinating key projects from conception to commercialization. Provides technical support to the operations, sales, and marketing teams.
Essential Functions, Duties & Responsibilities:
- Organizes and coordinates the R&D activities of assigned projects to ensure work is properly prioritized and completed in timely manner to deliver results.
- Executes new products from conception to commercialization by working with sales, marketing, operation, purchasing, and quality assurance.
- Maintains external and marketplace awareness related to new concepts, products, ingredients, and technologies.
- Engages team members to communicate and guides technical support for development of new products and technologies.
- Identifies and recommends new raw materials, ingredients, materials, and processes that improve products and reduce cost.
- Identifies, tests, and implements new processes and product formulas that lead to new products, cost savings, and quality improvements.
- Applies scientific principles to project designs, data analysis, and summarization.
- Provides technical support to operations to ensure product excellence and cost efficiency.
- Provides technical support to the Marketing and Sales teams to service existing customers and help gain new ones.
- Supports continuous improvement opportunities and solutions directed at improving profitability, product quality, food safety, and capital avoidance.
- Seeks to enhance technical skills through project experience, seminars, professional conference, and training programs.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Strong oral and written communication, analytical, time-management, and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience in food technology, ingredient technology and food processing.
- Experience with new product launches.
- Firm problem-solving and creative thinking skills.
- Demonstrated ability to use new technology to significantly improve profitability, product quality, food safety and manufacturing complexity issues.
- Solid project management skills with the ability to impact results.
- Proficient in MS office suite.
Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related field.
- 3+ years of relevant experience or the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the role.
- Industry experience managing research and development projects.
Preferred:
- Poultry science / poultry processing experience.
Working Conditions:
- Occasional Office work, manufacturing work in cold, wet environments, and occasional lifting items up to 50 lbs.
- Travel – this position will be required to travel to plant facilities as needed for conduction pilot plant testing, commercialization scale up support and capturing data. At times travel could be up to 50%. Expectation would be at least 2 days / week in Mount Olive potentially more pending project needs.
