Associate Scientist, Taste Modulation

Summary of Position
Imbibe is seeking an enthusiastic and curious Associate Scientist to join our Taste Modulation and Ingredient Innovation Team. This position will support the team’s efforts to accomplish development tasks under the guidance of experienced R&D staff, with the opportunity to hone skills in new ingredient research, product development, and base modulation in the sugar reduction, masking, and mouthfeel space. The ideal candidate will have a working knowledge of food science and product development principles, along with strong collaboration skills and a passion for learning about a wide variety of food and beverage ingredients and product types. The position requires both product development and research so the ideal candidate will display an equal interest in both.
Essential Job Duties

• Assists Scientists and Sr. Scientists as needed.
• Leads benchtop development for project deliverables in the areas of sugar reduction, masking, and mouthfeel, from ideation to commercialization, with minimal direction from more experienced R&D staff.
• Gains understanding and applies knowledge of ingredients, food and beverage products, and manufacturing processes.
• Communicates project needs, project status, and recommends technical advice to internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinates and manages resources to meet project timelines and other success criteria.
• Interacts with external customers as part of core team to maintain project momentum and engagement.
• Independently runs processing machines and techniques from bench top to pilot plant scale such as: Hot Filling, Spray Drying, Homogenization, Forced Carbonation, High shear mixers, etc.
• Conducts analytical testing on raw and finished product samples including but not limited to pH, titratable acidity, total solids/moisture, particle size, Brix, density, viscosity, and color.
• Follows all Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines, including properly cleaning and organizing all work areas and wearing all proper food safety and personal protective equipment.
• Assists in the creation of complex natural sweetener systems, masking systems, and mouthfeel systems for customer projects.
• Develops Customer Demonstration products, with assistance, in the food and beverage space.
• Participates in internal and Marketing initiatives that showcase Taste Modulation innovations.
• Balances a multi-task workload in a fast-paced development environment.
• Works with other internal team members including pricing, engineering, procurement, quality, operations, and marketing for successful project completion.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, chemistry, biochemistry, engineering, or a relevant field (required)
• 1-3 years experience with working knowledge related to at least one of the following: food science, product development/formulation, ingredient research, experimental design, and/or applications.
• Understanding of how to set up and execute an experiment.
• Ability to taste and describe organoleptic properties of finished products, ingredients, and flavors.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• A working knowledge of MS Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Hands-on experience operating laboratory equipment.
• Physical ability to stand for long periods of time as well as lift up to 50 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong attention to detail, organization skills, and ability to multi-task.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Passion for research and learning new areas.
• Creativity and desire to drive innovation within a fast-paced environment.
• Well-developed self-management and prioritization skills to meet customer and business needs.

Working Conditions

• Primarily lab setting with some pilot plant exposure.

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