Principal Scientist, Seasonings

Griffith Foods is the caring, creative product development partner helping food companies meet the evolving needs of consumers while sustaining the planet. As a family business founded in 1919 and headquartered in Alsip, Illinois USA, Griffith Foods is known for true, collaborative innovation guided by their Purpose of "We Blend Care and Creativity to Nourish the World". The company's product capabilities range from seasonings and marinades to coating systems and sauces that are better for people and better for the planet. For more information, visit www.griffithfoods.com.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Senior Manager NA R&D Seasonings; the Principal Scientist, Seasonings executes R&D initiatives to activate the North America (NA) Seasonings LRP strategy with specific focus on product leadership to drive proactive innovation. The Principal Scientist will lead product development projects and technical initiatives to develop new and optimized products for the NA Seasonings category innovation pipeline.

• Hands on Scientist with a passion to drive technical excellence, conduct innovative research, and independently plan, design, and execute experiments to develop seasonings solutions in support of Griffith Food's business strategy and long-range plan.
• Collaborates with Category Marketing to implement the IPM process from an R&D function.
• Works with considerable independence, exercising ingenuity and judgement in the approach to tasks. Responsible for the design, planning, execution, and reporting of experiments and projects of considerable complexity.
• Leads multiple priorities, projects and timelines concurrently.
• Use technical and problem-solving skills to approach complex projects.
• Effectively communicate project progress both internally and externally, fostering strong relationships with clients and suppliers.
• Maintains GLP's, GMP's, and all required development records, using formula management platforms and CRM.
• Analyze experimental data and prepare detailed technical reports to document findings, progress, and potential areas for improvement.
• Leads or participates in cross-functional task forces to support NA initiatives to accomplish our LRP aspirations.
• Represents NA R&D in professional business relationships with regional client and supplier base, academia, government, and other industry stakeholders.
• Ensure the security and confidentiality of all information regarding Griffith Innovation or Client product formulas and related data.
• Support the hiring and growth of summer interns, fostering talent development within the organization.
• May travel up to 20% as required for project collaboration and knowledge exchange.

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Chemistry or related technical degree is required. A Master of Science degree in Food Science or related Science is preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of Research and Product Development experience within the food industry.
• Solid understanding of ingredient functionality, application and downstream processing techniques used in the commercialization of consumer-packaged foods.
• Must be able to travel as required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with an ability to influence and collaborate with suppliers/stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data sets.
• Exposure to commercialization of a range of food product formats and processes is highly desired.