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Lead Food R&D Scientist
| Company | Meati Foods |
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| Location | Thornton, CO, USA |
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| Salary | $120000 – $158000 |
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| Type | Full-Time |
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| Degrees | Bachelor’s, Master’s |
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| Experience Level | Expert or higher |
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Requirements
- Bachelors or Master’s in Food Science, Food Engineering, or related field.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in food product development, with at least 3 years in a technical leadership role.
- Deep expertise in formulation science, ingredient functionality, and novel food technologies—experience with alternative proteins strongly preferred.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills for effective collaboration with cross-functional teams.
- Strong understanding of GMP, HACCP, FDA/USDA regulations, and industry standards.
- Passion for sustainability, nutrition, and transforming the future of food.
Responsibilities
- Lead multi-phase R&D initiatives from concept through commercialization, defining technical & operational feasibility across a portfolio of projects.
- Identify and prioritize high-impact innovation opportunities within current manufacturing operations that are margin accretive. Collaborate with operations, quality, marketing, sales, and engineering to define short and long term innovation opportunities based on product & consumer trends.
- Maintain/Oversee current product formula certifications and any required ingredient/sourcing changes. Ensure products meet and exceed quality standards, regulatory requirements, and safety protocols.
- Support and optimize the base business by troubleshooting and problem-solving ongoing production needs or asks by working with internal and external partners.
- Be the technical lead and subject matter expert on Meati products for sales & customer meetings; providing versatility of cooking, marinating, or adding products into recipes or as in-home use.
- Guide teams through complex scale-up efforts, ensuring lab-to-plant transitions retain product integrity and meet operational constraints.
- Drive NFP development with third parties and working within Meati’s programs that align with quality standards. Drive FOP and BOP claims through partnership between marketing & quality leaders.
- Use advanced analytics, sensory science, and consumer research to drive product refinements and validate product performance.
Preferred Qualifications
- You crave curiosity and challenging the status quo
- You have experience working in an environment that is fast-paced, pivots and finds alternative paths within project scope
- You enjoy being in a dynamic and creative role
