Food Scientist

Job Title: Food Scientist

Location: Onsite in American Fork, Utah

Department: Research & Development

Reports to: Food Science Supervisor

Position Overview

The Food Scientist role is a technical contributor within Thrive Freeze Dry's R&D team. This position is ideal for a food scientist who thrives on innovation, ownership, and collaboration. You'll play a key role in developing freeze-dried products across a wide range of categories, interpreting dryer trend data, and partnering with multiple departments to drive quality and efficiency.

Essential Functions Include:

• R&D Innovation: Assist with product development projects from concept to commercialization for freeze-dried products across ALL categories, including probiotics, pet food, confectionery, fruits & vegetables, dairy, meats, liquids and more, ensuring high quality and nutritional integrity. Assist with both the ideation and execution of new product initiatives aligned with company strategy, market trends, and consumer insights. Approximately 30% of workload.
• Freeze-Dry Optimization: Assist in the development and optimization of freeze-dry profiles for all products. Analyze and interpret dryer data and trend charts across various sites and dryer software to identify areas for improvement. Use this data to recommend and implement process enhancements, ensuring product consistency, quality, and efficiency. Approximately 10% of workload.
• Technical Expertise: Work with internal teams and external clients, offering guidance on formulation, drying behavior, scale-up, and regulatory compliance. Actively engage with customers during in-person visits and plant trials to understand their needs, troubleshoot technical challenges, and ensure successful product development and commercialization. Approximately 15% of workload.
• Technical Documentation: Create and maintain comprehensive technical documentation, including product specifications sheets, SOP's, formulation records, etc. Approximately 10% of workload.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with procurement, quality, operations, and sales & marketing teams to ensure product feasibility, cost targets, manufacturability, and brand alignment. Approximately 10% of workload.
• Support Commercialization: Provide hands-on support during scale-up of new products by assisting R&D team with plant trials - stepping in as needed, occasionally working early mornings, evenings, or weekends. Help troubleshoot technical issues and dryer profile adjustments. Engage directly with production teams during critical stages, ensuring timely resolution of any technical issues. Approximately 15% of workload.
• Travel Required: Travel to other facilities periodically to support plant trials, first production runs of new products, customer development, and plant troubleshooting. Be proactive in identifying and addressing challenges in real time, working alongside plant personnel to ensure product quality and production efficiency. Document detailed results of product issues, tests performed, and results/solutions. Travel may be required up to 15%.
• Other Duties: At times, you may also be required to perform other duties not specifically mentioned in this job description related to the job of Food Scientist and R&D. Approximately 10% of workload.

Qualifications Include:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field.
• 1-2 years in food product development or other related job experience.
• Strong understanding of product development and R&D.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills - able to work with clients, lead meetings, and contribute to a positive team dynamic
• Proficient in Excel, technical documentation, and ESHA Genesis (or similar tools)
• Ability to work flexibly, independently, and take ownership of projects
• Proven ability to support peers with professionalism and kindness
• Hands-on scale-up and commercialization experience a plus
• Familiarity with FDA/USDA regulations, labeling, and quality systems
• Track record of improving processes or building systems within an R&D team a plus
• Regular standing, walking, and hands-on physical activity during trials or scale-ups
• Willingness to support outside regular business hours when needed

Physical Requirements: Must be able to perform the following functions with or without accommodation:

• Consistent and reliable attendance
• Physical environment/working conditions: The position is in an office of a manufacturing setting and could involve sitting, standing, and walking throughout the day. Unrestricted visual and audio abilities are required for the safety of all employees.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Food Safety Requirements:

• Place high priority on food safety, quality, and sanitation by understanding and executing Thrive Freeze Dry's food safety and sanitation policies and procedures.
• Hold self and others accountable to Thrive Freeze Dry's food safety & sanitation guidelines and policies by communicating any food safety incident, observation, or opportunity to your leadership team or teammates.