Principal Food Scientist - 257152
Medix™
About the role
Principal Food Scientist / Lead R&D Food Scientist (PhD)
Location: Western Suburbs of Chicago
Position Type: Full-Time, Direct Hire
Travel: Up to 25% (Domestic & International)
About the Company
Join a long-established food ingredients company specializing in creating custom enzyme products and applications for clients' specific needs.
When you join this team, you’re joining a company known for exceptional employee tenure, a collaborative environment, and an outstanding culture that our team members consistently rate as a great place to work. If you are looking for a stable, high-impact role where your expertise is valued and your career can thrive, we would love to hear from you.
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced PhD Food Scientist to join the R&D laboratory as Principal Scientist. This pivotal role balances hands-on product development and R&D of enzyme products and applications with high-level technical client engagement.
As a key scientific voice for the company, you will lead custom product development, leverage analytical instrumentation, mentor laboratory staff, and serve as a technical liaison to international and domestic food industry clients.
Key Responsibilities
- R&D & Product Innovation: Lead R&D initiatives and client projects including hands-on benchwork, Design of Experiments (DOE), and product analysis to drive new product innovation and fulfill custom client specifications.
- Analytical Testing: Utilize advanced analytical assays including HPLC, GC, and spectrophotometry to evaluate and optimize enzyme performance.
- Client Liaison & Technical Support: Serve as a primary technical resource for clients, deliver technical presentations at food & beverage industry trade shows, and collaborate directly on tailored customer solutions.
- Leadership & Mentorship: Supervise, mentor, and direct the daily work of 1–2 direct reports within the R&D lab.
- IP & Documentation: Draft reports and documentation to support potential patent filings and maintain internal knowledge assets.
- Travel: Travel up to 25% (domestically and internationally) for customer meetings, technical support, and industry conferences.
Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Food Science, Biochemistry, or a related scientific discipline and 3+ years of food science industry experience in an R&D or product development capacity.
- Hands-on experience working with enzymes as an optimization or product development tool for R&D projects
- Must be a named author or co-author on at least one patent .
- Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with proven ability to present complex technical topics to clients and stakeholders.
- Strong natural leadership capabilities; prior personnel leadership experience is a plus.
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