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Principal Scientist, Snacks Innovation
Pepperidge Farm Inc
Norwalk, CT, United States
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Imagine…working for a company that knows that its people are the key to its success in the marketplace. A company in which achieving extraordinary results and having a stimulating work experience are part of the same process.
We cultivate and embrace a diverse employee population. We recognize that people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives fuel our growth and enrich our global culture.
We are looking for an individual who enjoys working in a fast-paced, team oriented environment, likes to be challenged, and values the opportunity to make a difference.
General Summary:
The Principal Scientist is responsible for the leading, coordination and execution of product development efforts for Front of Funnel Innovation initiatives, encompassing all Campbell’s Snacks Brands like Goldfish, Milano, Pepperidge Farm Cookies, Kettle Brands Potato Chips, Cape Cod Potato Chips, Late July and Snyder’s of Hanover Pretzels. The coordination of complex and multi-disciplined product development projects with minimal supervision is required. This includes working with cross functional teams on coming up with new ideas, creating new products against concepts, consumer work, pilot scale trials, feasibility assessments, trials and commercialization. Incumbent is responsible for ensuring that project and technical objectives, budget and timetables are met. This position is an individual contributor who demonstrates seasoned judgment and acts as a role model/mentor for more junior product developers and may manage a technician. The Principal Scientist responds resourcefully to new demands and challenges throughout the product & commercialization process (including bench, pilot plant, and plant trials to create prototypes for consumer testing, etc.) and implements best practices. The successful candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and the ability to influence decisions within the cross functional team (Marketing, Operation Engineering, Manufacturing, QA, Process Development and Package Development) and externally with partners (suppliers, Campbell Soup Company SC COE’s, R&D, co-manufacturers). The Principal Scientist is expected to possess and demonstrate a solid understanding of food science, innovation process, the business, operations and the commercialization processes. The Principal Scientist’s approach should include identification and innovative creation of new and unique products which achieve business goals. In addition, the position will include the ability to provide technical specifications and support to assure smooth rollouts of new products and processes during trials and plant startups. This includes the provision of comprehensive process documentation to enable smooth commercialization and training of plant personnel. The Principal Scientist must support an environment that fosters innovation and calculated risk taking.
Primary Responsibilities:
• Leads the identification, assessment and validation of multiple projects for a platform of ideas from benchtop through commercialization. This includes managing the financial aspects of product development including ingredient costs for plant trials
• Fosters an innovation culture in Campbell’s Snacks by continually introducing new ideas and product concepts for new products, collaborating with Marketing and influencing to shape ideas. Creates prototypes for consumer work and feasibility assessment of initial prototypes and ideas
• Creates, designs, supervises the development of new experimental protocols/best practices required to validate product concepts and prototypes –
• Contributes to consumer learning plan in colaboration with Sensory and Consumer Insights and determines the type of testing to be done. Interacts with consumers through concept or product testing and creates formulas to translate consumer learnings to actual product designs
• Insures all proper documentation is done accurately and on schedule –
• Conducts and leads assessment and capability studies, product startups/commercialization and provides on-site support to Plant Operations for new products, productivity and quality programs
• Independently directs the activities of outside vendors including ingredients and services.
Job Complexity:
• Demonstrate creative solutions and development options for new products, contribute to the development of product concepts and identification and application of new technologies
• Ability to influence and drive product design and consumer learning plans with cross functional team
• Ability to handle ambiguity and self-drive direction and clarity
• Lead multiple projects and prioritize them based on business objectives and timelines. Agility and flexibility as needed
• Ability to interact and communicate effectively with Principal Management as well as Plant Management
• Must be a good problem solver; able to identify, interpret and analyze the correct data, and provide detailed direction to development projects
• Active knowledge and understanding in areas beyond Product Development including Process and Package Development, QA, Project Engineering and thorough understanding of Marketing needs and financial hurdles
• Sustain a high level of competence and professionalism in a dynamic business environment
• Easily adapts to changing priorities
• Able to work with a team, create direction and lead cross-functional technical team in achieving the results needed
• Acts as a leader in the R&D Community by creating and rolling out new best practices.
• Role model and mentor for junior scientists
• Drives engagement by identifying & leading improvement programs for the Snacks R&D FOF Innovation Team
Minimum Requirements:
• Food Science, Bakery Science, Food Process Engineering, or Chemical Engineering degree with Product Development emphasis; preferably someone who has successfully commercialized snacks products in the market. Proven record of innovation and formulation experience
• Minimum of 10 years of related experience with a consumer-packaged goods background. Experience in crackers, cookies, pretzels potato and tortilla chips are preferred as well as baking and frying unit operations experience.
• Excellent analytical skills, strong attention to details, self-driven, ability to deal with ambiguity, good communications and interpersonal skills
• Ability to handle and lead multiple projects at any given time in a team environment
• Passion for food science, product development and consumers as it relates to innovation for new products
• Ability to think beyond his or her own (R&D) function to consider the organization holistically.
• Ability to influence and create direction for the cross functional team
• Strong technical knowledge and ability to solve technical challenges
• Motivated by change and skilled in navigating ambiguity
• Proven experience in consumer testing methodologies like co-creation, concept testing, CLT and IHUT etc.
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