DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

 Team Scope:

 Our client is a venture-backed startup with decades of experience in cell biology, tissue engineering, media development, food science, bioreactor design, and more. They are united by their collective drive to solve difficult problems, ask tough questions, and apply cutting-edge science and engineering. The candidate will have the freedom to dream big and do the best work of their life.

In this role, the candidate will be responsible for enhancing the texture, taste, functionality, and appearance of our client’s product formulations, with a particular emphasis on plant-based meat components. They will conceptualize, design, and conduct experiments and sensory studies around in-house and conventional products and establish/maintain quality and food safety standards.

Top-6 Skills/Experiences Required:

• Deep knowledge of starches, fats, and plant-based proteins.
• Capital Investment experience and scaling.
• Show proof of concept and leadership.
• Minimum 10 years in CPG environment
• Bachelors with 20 years of experience
• Masters with 10 years’ experience
• PhD with 5 years’ experience

   

  Skills/Experiences Desired

• Degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related discipline (BS, MS, PhD; advanced degree preferred)
• 5 years minimum industrial experience in product development (ideally plant-based products)
• USDA/FDA experience
• Leadership experience of a team on minimum of 3
• Academic research experience in plant-based meat research preferred.
• Experience in conventional meat product development is a strong plus.
• Experience conducting quantitative analyses of plant-based meat, including texture analysis, is a strong plus.
• Strong experience conceptualizing and designing experiments and collecting, analyzing, synthesizing, and presenting quantitative data.
• Great communication skills

Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of food scientists, culinary experts with a common goal of product innovation and commercialization
• Build a fully equipped product development lab, including sourcing equipment with an eye toward scaling capabilities for a pilot facility,

• Conceptualize, design and conduct experiments aimed at enhancing the texture, taste, functionality and appearance of our client’s products.
• Design and conduct sensory studies around in-house and external products.
• Collect, analyze, synthesize and present experimental and sensory study data.
• Maintain quality and food safety standards.
• Work closely with upper management to create and execute on strategic product development plans.
• Contingent on level of industrial experience and academic training, contribute toward management of food science and product development team members and activities.
• Contribute toward sourcing ingredients and creating relationships with vendors.
• Contribute toward preparation of our client’s products for tastings.

All Candidates must be able to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.

  For more information, contact Liz at (954) 428-3888 or lizp@foodscience.com