About this role
Job Title: R&D Scientist Department: R&D/Innovation Job Classification: Staff Reports to: R&D Director Location: Hilbert, WI Job Summary: The R&D Scientist collaborates cross-functionally with R&D/Innovation, Sales, Procurement, Finance, and Quality Assurance to drive product development, functionality, and commercial readiness. Key responsibilities include leading product optimization initiatives, conducting material risk assessments, mentoring team members, and managing projects with a strong focus on ROI, operational efficiency, and successful commercialization. The Scientist designs and executes experiments, evaluates emerging technologies, and supports sensory analysis and shelf-life studies to ensure product quality and performance. Leveraging strong planning, technical, and project management skills, this role effectively coordinates activities from concept through production implementation. Additionally, the R&D Scientist may directly supervise Technologists and Technicians, providing leadership, coaching, performance management, and professional development support to foster a high-performing team. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Provides strong expertise and technical leadership on new product development, functionality in end products, and commercializing them in collaboration within R&D/Innovation, and cross-collaboration with commercial (sales), procurement, finance, and quality assurance departments. Supervises and coaches Technologists and Technicians Conducts optimization projects based on sound understanding and knowledge of OINA capabilities Mentors and upskill others on technical leadership, project management, material risk assessment Initiates and drives projects, focusing on ROI, efficiency to address short-term and long-term business needs & support other projects as needed Develops and commercializes high quality, innovative, efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable cheese solutions Contributes to determine new approaches within existing business and to identify new business opportunities Conducts pilot and production plant experiments to test and develop new products and processes. As necessary, conducts laboratory evaluations on composition and functionality of products and ingredients Investigates new technologies for producing safe, high quality food products Participates in on-going sensory/organoleptic analyses and shelf-life studies of Ornua products as required Uses planning and organization, time management, and project management skills to deliver results Establishes control limits for production items and manages process/formulation changes. All other responsibilities as assigned Required Skills and Abilities: Self-motivated aptitude with a progressive approach and a sense of urgency. Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to work cooperatively in a team environment. Adept to transfer scientific knowledge to operational and practical applications. Excellent verbal/written communication skills Excellent analytical, and organizational skills Write professional reports, prepare presentations and other business correspondence Work as a member of a team Excellent people skills with ability to work with individuals from different disciplines Proficient computer skills. Able to manage time effectively to meet deadlines and adjust appropriately to changes in priorities. Ability to travel 25% of their time to other OINA locations, customer sites and industry events Willing and able to taste and conduct sensory analysis on a variety of dairy and nondairy food products Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Food, Dairy, or related scientific field with at least 5 years of industrial experience or advanced degree (MS/PhD) in closely related scientific field with at least 3 years of experience and/or acquired knowledge and experience in the field of dairy ingredients and non-dairy ingredients and their quality, functionality and interactions within cheese matrix. Experienced in developing standardized/non-standardized processed cheese or imitation cheese Experience working in application lab, pilot plant systems and with laboratory instrumentation. Experience working in Food industry - B2B product development, formulation, and commercialization of cheese/dairy/food products Familiarity with FDA Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) cheese standards, and dairy products guidelines, definitions, nutritional and labeling claims. Experience or familiarity working with starch systems, protein matrices and/or plant-based cheese Lean Six Sigma experience/certification or likewise preferred Culinary experience designing custom applications with custom cheese ingredients will be a plus Working knowledge of sensory science and texture analysis techniques