Principal Development Scientist - Meat Snacks

The Role:

The Principal Development Scientist leads the development of new, improved, and cost-reduced meat products while also leading project teams. Reporting to the Director, Research & Development, you will be the technical project leader for the Meat Snacks platform and for both big bet innovation and major base business projects. You contribute to the creation, maintenance, and review of integrated recipes for all items including: specifications, materials, formulas, equipment, quality and process information for R&D, plant, co-packers and suppliers. You will conduct research to establish specifications and process requirements for meat items using knowledge of the properties of both meat products and finished consumer products, namely:

• In-depth knowledge of the attributes of the meat product manufactured
• In-depth knowledge of raw material components, their variability, and synergistic effects on finished product
• Knowledge of those product attributes that vary during production, and of the relationship between production variability and consumer acceptance
• Identify the tolerable limits (levels/intensities) of product variability, in each attribute, which provide expected consumer acceptance and allow Conagra supply chain to be efficient in manufacturing
• Knowledge of competitive set for Meat Snacks category
• Development and commercialization of meat items, working within and outside of Conagra plants, to meet specifications established above.

What You'll Do:

• Lead product development projects for the Slim Jim, Duke's, and Penrose brands
• Champion ideas for technology improvements, cost savings, and cost savings that align with the strategic fit of projects
• Formulate products to achieve nutritional profile, ingredient statement, and product attributes of the target product
• Process product recipe changes and maintain accurate records of change
• Develop finished product and manufacturing process specifications using SAP, Oracle, and other programs
• Develop plan to collect analytical data to support NLEA Labeling requirements, and implement nutritional labeling claims or certification processes on our products
• Conduct plant trials and new product startups independently
• Work with teams including processing, marketing, finance, packaging and brand design, procurement, and manufacturing
• Maintain high level of awareness of technical trends and developments in the food and CPG industries. Lead applications research of new technology
• Determine technical goals and promote specific project execution to accomplish Meat Snack platform goals to meet project timelines
• Communicate complex technical concepts to a variety of audiences within the business organization
• Maintain understanding and application of experimental design, performance specs, and technical tools used in product development
• Collaborate directly with internal business teams at a high level, and cultivate relationships with external partners and resources
• Positively contribute to the image of Conagra Brands in technical community and be a coach and technical mentor to all developers