Food Scientist

Food Scientist

Elk Grove Village, IL

We are a premier provider of specialty meats, spreads, ready-to-eat and plant-based proteins, along with value-added bakery products with a commitment to quality and authenticity. Serving over 400 foodservice distributors, 30,000 independent and national chain restaurants, and marking our presence in the top 40 U.S. retailers, we continue to enrich dining experiences with our products.

Our Vision: Continue to be the leader in inspired world cuisine. We strive to have every table or menu in the world serving up our delicious flavors.

Our Mission: To be top of mind with our customers as the preferred and trusted company of choice, by delivering mutual value, and acting with a sense of urgency.

Our Guiding Principles:
Customer Centricity: Put the customer at the heart of the business,
Ownership and Empathy: Act like owners, think like customers,
Conscious leadership: Leading with awareness, kindness, and courage,
Competitive Spirit: Playing to win.

As an employer, we seek individuals who resonate with our vision, mission, and guiding principles. Your alignment with these core values enables us to maintain our legacy of excellence and innovation. We encourage you to embrace our commitment to customer satisfaction, ownership, leadership, and competitive spirit. Together, we will continue to bring the rich flavors of the Mediterranean to the world, fostering a culture of respect, growth, and shared success.

We are seeking an experienced Food Scientist for our Elk Grove Village location. As our Food Scientist you will be responsible for leading meat product development (beef, pork, poultry), plant-based protein, and hummus/dips/spreads product development; develop new formulas, processing procedures and specifications for new products, product enhancements and cost reductions.

What you are going to be doing

Lead multiple development projects with an emphasis on meat protein, plant-based protein and sauces, both new products and improvements of current products.
Assume technical leadership of assigned projects from concept development through successful commercialization. Recommend new product concepts to take to development.
Investigate product and process challenges, provide creative solutions, and solve challenges in development and commercialization.
Work cross functionally (Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Purchasing) to determine equipment, materials and processes necessary to produce products to maximize capacity and optimize quality and differentiation.
Identify and complete technical study of ingredients, suppliers, co-packers relevant to meeting project objectives and company standards.
Assure technically sound sensory panels are conducted for product development, shelf-life studies, improving/maintaining present products and competitive testing.
Identify and make recommendations for process improvements using scientific techniques, design experimentation to improve formulation, process, or equipment to deliver finished products that meet defined internal and external customer parameters.
Familiarize and evaluate competitive products in the marketplace to determine market opportunities for new products and application recommendations for current products.
Provide raw material information and formulas to regulatory personnel to create nutritional and products analysis, and nutritional fact panels.

What you need to have
BS or MS degree in Food Science or related area with at least 3-5 years of product development experience in food manufacturing environment.
Previous USDA meat protein product development experience.
Experience working with Esha Genesis or equivalent nutritional program is a plus.
Experience in food manufacturing environment.
In-depth experience in ingredients, flavors, and their functionalities.
Experience in vendor/supplier contact for ingredients selection desirable
Strong technical knowledge.
Ability to establish credibility with others
Solid written and verbal communication skills at all organizational levels.
Ability to perform multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.
Computer Skills in include Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)

Why work with us
We understand that fulfilling our mission involves a blend of innovation and reverence for tradition—a challenge that demands exceptional dedication from our team. We hold high expectations, but we are equally committed to supporting our employees. This commitment is reflected in our pledge to provide a respectful work environment, fair compensation, and abundant opportunities for professional growth. Our community standards are built on the pillars of equal employment opportunities, respectful dialogue and actions, integrity, and accountability.

What we offer
Highly competitive compensation and bonus programs
Medical, Dental and Vision options for you and your family
Safe-harbor 401(k) Plan with generous matching and immediate vesting
Life, AD&D, Short and Long-term Disability Programs
Health, Dependent Care, & Commuter Flexible Spending Accounts
Health Savings Account Contributions
Additional Voluntary Benefit Programs
Paid Vacations and Holidays
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Target Compensation: $90,000- $100,000, Bonus Potential: 10%