Senior Food Scientist

McCain Foods Limited was founded in 1957 by brothers, Harrison and Wallace McCain, with the production facility opening in their hometown of Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada. Since its humble beginnings, McCain Foods has become one of the world's largest manufacturers of frozen French fries and potato specialties.

Provide technical leadership, competence and experience to lead and/or support multiple global and regional projects with an emphasis on new product development, product line extensions, product/process improvements, cost reduction and margin improvement for US Potato business. The Sr. Food Scientist will contribute to delivering the business objectives through the application of advanced, specialized technical knowledge as well as serve as a technical mentor and resource to colleagues and management.

**Technical Expertise** * Partner with Marketing, Marketing Research, Quality Assurance, Sensory, Manufacturing, and other Scientists to identify opportunities to drive business growth. * Provide technical expertise to effectively lead new product development, margin enhancement, quality improvement and ingredient technology projects from prototype/concept to completion by leveraging current and new enabling technologies. * Apply advanced scientific knowledge to solve technical hurdles and issues relative to products and processes. * Leverage vendor technical core competencies as resource network for product development. * Ensure procedures are documented and available for seamless transition to production and QA. * Act as a technical mentor to teach junior scientists on technical procedures and processes. * Provides skill assessment and development plans for direct reports (when applicable).. **Project Management** * Conceive, plan, design and conduct independent and/or collaborate activities on ingredients, formulations and processes related to the development of new and improved products. * Generate timelines taking into consideration all aspects of the project such as cost, conditions of satisfaction from gate 0 to gate 2. * Actively participate in leading the project teams with relevant internal or external partners throughout the process to provide novel solutions to a wide range of projects. * Demonstrates ability to manage a project budget and account for all associated costs. * Excels in maintaining all project related documents. This includes: Stage/Gate process, R&D function, and development agreements.. **Communication** * Maintain good relationships and communicate internally and externally with project team functions and any other associated departments. * Present project findings and solutions on a regular basis to R&D Leadership Team. * Collaborate with the innovation chefs providing technical feedback to allow them to apply the learning to adapt the creation of recipe. * Keep abreast of trends, ingredients and new product introductions, sharing relevant information with the rest of the PD team. **Customer and Supplier Support** * Interface with customers, suppliers and co-packers, as required to meet department and Company objectives. * Understand customer needs by collaborating with the innovation chef to develop new concepts, prototypes and products. * Lead raw material sourcing, evaluation, improvement and approval activities with purchasing functions and/or suppliers. * Support Sales and Marketing in developing and delivering effective customer presentations. * Provide technical support to Operations, QA, Procurement, Engineering and other departments in identifying and solving product design and manufacturing issues.

* BS/MS/PhD in Food science or food related sciences discipline. * 5 years of demonstrated successful work experience in food product development or food science related area. Advanced ingredient knowledge of coating, coating development, and functional ingredients preferred. * Experience completing projects under tight timelines using good experimental design techniques and practices. * Ability to work in a fast paced manufacturing environment with both internal and external customers as well as working with cross functional teams. * Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in ingredient technology, food science and food processing required. * Demonstrated project management skills. * Knowledge / understanding of sensory, statistics, and consumer testing is preferred. * Ability to travel up to 50%, or as project load and training may require.