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Food Scientist - R&D

Chicago, Illinois, United States; New York, New York, United States

Who are we?

Since Day 1, KIND has had a vision for a kinder and healthier world. A world in which people never have to choose between what tastes good, feels good, and does good when it comes to their snacking.    

Our iconic KIND® bars – made with real, recognizable ingredients – sparked the growth of an entirely new healthy snacking category back in 2004. Now, KIND has a family of more than 80 snacks that offer solutions for a variety of occasions. All of KIND's products lead with a nutrient-dense first ingredient – like nuts or whole grains – and do not contain genetically engineered ingredients, sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners.  

We’re looking for passionate collaborators to help us become the foremost leader in health & wellness and positively impact society along the way. If you’re looking to be a part of an inspiring, energetic and entrepreneurial environment, you’ve found the right place.

What you'll do

Reporting within KIND’s Product Development team, the Food Scientist role is responsible for executing Product Development initiatives to further enhance KIND’s portfolio of healthy snacks. This role will be responsible for leading the development and launch of innovations, renovations, productivity, and quality improvements for KIND North America. You will have a visible impact to the Product Development Organization and help bring fresh thinking to evolve our processes and Ways of Working.

  • Responsible for prototyping, formulation, pilot production and scale-up to plant implementation of innovation & renovation projects.
  • Technical lead responsible for product development and product optimization, working in collaboration with project managers & the cross functional teams (following stage gate methodology).
  • Provide technical support to manufacturing and quality for commissioning of innovation and renovation projects.
  • Conduct trials, data collection and interpret results to drive program/project and technical knowledge forward, develop robust action plans, risk assessment and contingency planning.
  • Possess strong product development skills in ingredient functionality, material selection and formulation to understand effects on finished product performance.
  • Ensure compliance to internal and external policies, quality standards and legal requirements.
  • Provides support in building technical expertise and maintain community of best practice to technical colleagues.
  • Possess technical leadership to execute time sensitive programs, including new product line trials, alternate line qualifications and supplier/ingredient qualifications.

 

What you'll bring to KIND

  • You are entrepreneurial and pursue our mission with tireless passion and constant innovation.
  • Sense of urgency and can-do attitude
  • A partnership and relationship-based approach in working with internal and external business
  • A willingness to challenge our “way of work” to maximize our resources and enhance our success
  • Genuine in your desire to help the make the world a kinder place, committing to always spreading and celebrating kindness.

 

You have...

  • A BS or MS degree in Food Science or Chemical Engineering
  • At least 4-6 years of relevant concept to launch experience in a Corporate R&D setting including experience in formulation, start-up & continuous improvement projects.
  • Ability to build strong trusted working relationships and rapport at all levels & demonstrated ability to work collaboratively.
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
  • Are familiar with the activities in Marketing, Market Research, Legal/Regulatory, QA and Manufacturing.
  • Be able to travel up to 35%.

 

Certain states and localities require employers to post a reasonable estimate of salary range. A reasonable estimate of the current base salary range for this position is $83,000.00 - $109,000.00. Actual salary will be based on a variety of factors, including location, experience, skill set, performance, licensure and certification, and business needs. The range for this position in other geographic locations may differ.

 

What KIND offers 

  • 401(K) or RRSP's with generous company match
  • Flexible Paid Time Off. Choose what works best for you, including summer hours. Paid parental leave. 
  • Excellent health, dental & vision insurance, with options to fit you & your family’s needs 
  • Company paid disability and life insurance to provide income protection 
  • Your health is important! Our wellness strategy focuses on mental and physical wellbeing via programs like Employee Assistance Program, a wellness subsidy, healthy food options and gym facility in HQ. 
  • Casual office dress code– feel free to wear your KIND gear 
  • Stock up on your favorite KIND bars to share with your family & friends, through a quarterly voucher 
  • Training & tuition reimbursement program, because continuing to learn matters and we support your development 
  • A dynamic, ambitious, fun and KIND work environment 
  • Charitable Donation Matching: KIND matches your charitable donations up to $1000 annually through our donation matching portal. 

 

EEO 

At KIND, we are committed to an inclusive workplace where diversity in all its forms is championed. KIND is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace, and we are an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you require special accommodation, please let us know. 

 

Privacy Policy

Mars and its family of brands is committed to transparency and responsibility in how we handle the personal data entrusted to us by our customers and consumers. To learn more about our privacy policy please follow this link.

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