Product Development Scientist
Reporting to: Innovation
Location: Lakeland, USA
The Opportunity
This role is responsible for creating new products and supporting scaleup of new products through commercialization. Fast paced, creative, passion-driven and self-motivated, the Scientist plays a key role in applying new and novel ideas and techniques to the global technical team and commercialization process. This role requires strong business acumen and the ability to drive commercial success through their subject matter expertise and effective interactive customer presentations.
What it’s like to work here
We’ve been making the world taste better since 1886 and sell over 3000 products in more than 90 countries, but we’re only just getting started. We’re on an exciting journey and have ambitious plans to become the indispensable partner of choice for the world’s leading flavour and fragrance houses, beverage and consumer brands.
On joining Treatt, you’ll become one of over 300 international experts, working together to collectively surprise and delight our customers. Nothing is more important to us than the happiness of our people as without them, we’d never succeed.
We think Treatt’s a great place to work, but don’t just take our word for it:
“Everyone wants your feedback and opinion; it feels like a place of study where nurturing and encouragement are the standard. It is very clear the hard work that goes into providing excellence for customers, but it is also very apparent that managers have the same goals for helping us all to progress.” – Anita, Innovation Scientist
“Joining my close and supportive team was the most enjoyable way to gain more skills and increase my knowledge” – Ashley, Distillation Control Team Leader
“Treatt creates an environment to help you be the best you can, with no two days the same and opportunities always available to help you learn and develop. The people and the culture create a fantastic company to be part of” – Rebecca, Commercial Coordinator
What you’ll be doing
After training you will be responsible for, but not limited to:
• Interact and communicate effectively across all layers of the organization.
• Research and develop on-trend, new and novel products - bringing them to life through scaleable formulations and commercial viability.
• Utilize and maintain a range of laboratory and pilot-plant equipment (introducing new equipment and techniques where necessary) during product development.
• Ability to optimize formulations to achieve anticipated goal.
• Experience managing stability, shelf-life and extended shelf-life studies.
• Identify unique raw materials for the development of new products.
• Work with the Tea and Coffee Process Specialist, Director of Innovation and Category Managers in the planning of R&D priorities.
• Provide Director of Innovation with clear and consistent communication of status of R&D efforts and commercial implications of R&D work.
• Participate in planning, monitoring and documentation of plant trials leading to successful commercialization of new products.
• Support the Production team to define and improve production efficiencies of new and existing products.
• Participate in sensory evaluation of R&D projects, new products, reformulations, ingredient substitutions, and competitive products. Strong understanding of Product Development process best practices.
• Ability to seek new vendors and maintain current supply relationships through.
• Strong organization and ability to track document of work.
• Develop product and raw material specifications suitable for QA and QC
• Coordinate with Quality Assurance in scheduling the use of laboratory facilities and equipment to ensure the appropriate levels of R&D, application and QA testing are performed.
• Support global technical team efforts and transfer new knowledge to Treatt product lines. Continually explore and identify industry trends and apply ways to enhance Treatt’s capabilities to appeal to new and untapped markets.
• Create and maintain articles and reports for internal publication.
• Strong understanding of HAACP, GMPs, and FDA regulations.
• Cultivate sales opportunities with current customers and other industry contacts by building strong partnering relationships with key technical personnel in these organizations.
• Lead product demonstrations as needed.
• Customer collaboration needed on new product developments and reformulations.
• Partner with sales team members to identify and analyze consumer market trends that might provide increased sales and product development opportunities.
• Ability to think beyond his or her own (R&D) function to consider the organization and its purpose holistically. All other duties as customary or as delegated.
What we’re looking for
Experience in the following areas (training will be provided but a competent understanding of these is required):
• A bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Food Science or a related subject plus a minimum of 5 years lab. Preferred Masters degree product development experience in a closely affiliated field, specializing in Tea, Coffee and other plant-based extracts.
• Proven track record of success within Beverage industry. Preferred plant-based extracts.
• A proven independent worker with strong creativity and problem-solving skills.
• An in-depth understanding of fundamental chemical principles.
• Demonstrate knowledge of regulations, policies, procedures and processes in food science and product development.
• Superior ability to research and analyse information and data to arrive at valid conclusions and plans of actions.
• Effective communication skills at all levels - both orally and in writing.
• Highly skilled in the use of various laboratory equipment and methodologies. Including: Gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and other analytical measurement methods.
• Ability to use various spreadsheets, word-processing and database computer software.
• Ability to work within established processes and offer necessary optimizations to process.
We want you to love your work and bring that energy to the job every day, no matter what the task. You’ll be someone who keeps up to date with the latest technologies and is always willing to share their knowledge with colleagues.
Our department is busy. We need someone who can run with the pack but also bring their own personality to their work.
You should be personable, friendly and supportive, acknowledging that you’ll get to work with colleagues from all seniority levels across all departments on a daily basis.
What we’ll do for you
Excellent package which includes basic pay; discretionary annual bonus.
Polite Notice
We politely request that we are not contacted by any recruitment agencies. We have a preferred supplier list and high volumes of speculative calls from agencies negatively impact upon the efficiency of our business. Please help us to maintain the highest levels of customer service by respecting our wishes.