Food Scientist

McKee Foods
Collegedale, Tennessee
Full Time

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Food Scientist

Join Americas favorite family bakery since 1934home of Little Debbie, Drakes Cakes, and Sunbelt Bakery Granola Bars. Work with legacy brands that bring smiles to faces nationwide, including yours. Youll experience a culture committed to work-life balance, guaranteed time off, and supportive health and wellness offerings. Enjoy profit sharing, long-term job security, and a range of exciting career paths. When you join McKee Foods, youll discover a better way to live and work.

Pay

Salaried grade 5, 8, or 11
$62,800 - $112,200 / year, depending on experience and qualifications.

Actual salaries may vary and in some cases may be higher with extensive experience and strong performance.

This position is part of a career ladder that includes grades 5-14, indicating potential for advancement.

Schedule

1st Shift (Monday Friday, 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.)

On-site position with some hybrid flexibility

Location

10260 McKee Road, Collegedale TN 37315

Job Summary

McKee Foods is seeking a Food Scientist to join our Corporate Research and Development team. This is an exciting Food Science opportunity to work within a leading food manufacturer that is committed to providing consumers with quality products at an excellent value. McKee Foods is a privately held, family owned company with an 85 year history of innovation and treating employees with respect, and a deeply held belief in the importance of doing business with integrity. Responsibilities will include:

Create new products from conceptualization through commercialization and reformulate existing products as necessary
Interact and communicate effectively with multiple departments
Serve on project teams to provide technical expertise related to product design needs
Conduct scientific research, focusing on ingredients and food systems and their applications in new products and existing products
Make formula changes for product improvement, process improvement, cost initiatives, waste reductions, and internal and external customer requests, including requests for health claims or other nutritional claims
Evaluate new ingredients and work with Technical Services to create appropriate specifications for new ingredients
Reformulate existing formulas due to supply chain interruptions, working within the ingredient statement and Kosher requirements in order to use existing packaging
Set product design and manufacturing specifications, including those for intermediate products
Stay current in Food Science trends, the competitive environment of our products, and the food processing marketplace

Required Qualifications

B.S. degree in Food Science or a related field with 1 year of related experience
Experience leading and assisting with the development of new products
Understanding of the product development process, including stage-gate methods
Strong computer skills and experience with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace
Willing to travel to branch plants for extended time periods as required

Preferred Qualifications

(Senior Food Scientist) M.S. degree in Food Science or related field with 5 years of experience OR B.S. degree in Food Science or a related field with 9 years of experience
Demonstrated experience managing end-to-end product development, from concept to commercialization.
Proficiency in using product lifecycle management software
Experience with baked goods, including expertise in formulation and ingredient selection/functionality
- Experience with fried dough products preferred
Familiarity with bakery processes and equipment (e.g., mixing, depositing, ovens, proofers, and fryers)
Training and experience in the design of experiments and/or LEAN Manufacturing

Benefits