Senior Food Technologist

Trident Seafoods is the largest vertically integrated seafood harvesting and processing company in North America. Trident is a privately held, 100 percent USA-owned company with primary seafood processing operations and fleet support in twelve Alaska communities. Trident's global operations produce finished wild Alaska seafood products in 6 countries and its sales teams serve customers in over 50 countries. Trident employs approximately 9,000 people worldwide each year and partners with over 5,400 independent fishermen and crewmembers. Species harvested and processed by Trident include virtually every commercial species of salmon, whitefish, and crab harvested in the North Pacific and Alaska. The global supply chain also includes cultured and wild species from a network of trusted sources worldwide. 

Follow Trident on the Web at www.tridentseafoods.com or on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube or LinkedIn

Summary:

The Senior Food Technologist is a customer-focused and result-driven food scientist, working with world-class food scientists and chefs, specializing in Alaskan Seafood. This role is responsible for R&D (Research & Development) projects in assigned product category, developing new and improved product formulations and processes. Provides expertise and guidance in product development in related areas, shares related work experience and problem-solving ideas. Operates as a project lead, supported by other R&D team members. Collaborates with customers and project stakeholders, promoting clear communication and process, creating clear product development scope to support ideations. Participates in the development and communication of Trident R&D leadership strategy. 

Essential functions (responsibilities, tasks, supervisory needs)

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Leads end-to-end product development and product renovation projects in the assigned product category providing solutions that leverage our core capabilities. Manages and develops concept prototypes. 
• Effectively collaborates with ingredient suppliers on new designs, ingredient improvements, and cost optimizations for R&D driven product categories. 
• Constantly tracks new functional or other new ingredient options for unique finished product attributes, product improvement and cost reduction opportunities. 
• Supports and guides other R&D members on innovation and process & product improvement projects.
• Contributes to New Product Development (NPD) creative exploration (10% of job scope), creates innovation work plan in the assigned category, execution and follow up. 
• Leads, initiates, produces and supplies product samples designed to meet project scope.
• Efficiently leads R&D projects in the assigned project category through all the project development stages and commercialization. 
• Creates R&D specifications and documents all tests (lab and plant trials); compiles and records testing data and charts for ingredient performance, production test information/ summary and on-going projects. 
• Initiates, performs and provides guidance in bench top research and evaluation of new ingredients and product formulations, planning lab experiments, shelf-life testing and production trials.
• Leads sensory evaluations, product cuttings / presentations to various vendors and customer groups, introducing or re-acquainting them to specific products, ingredient features, benefits, requirements and application techniques. Ensures adequate supply of 1st production samples retains and bench control for cook validation, product cuttings, shelf-life tests etc. 

Required Qualifications (education, years of experience, KSAs)

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in food science, manufacturing, or a related field 
• A bachelor's degree in food science or a related field; or the equivalent combination of education and years of experience.
• A master's degree in food science or a related field; or the equivalent combination of education and years of experience.
• Advanced understanding of food laws and regulations.
• Solid understanding of mathematics, scientific weights, and measurements.
• Basic working knowledge of MS Office, PowerPoint, Database Management and other computer applications to access information, analyze data and solve problems.

Preferred education and experience

• Strong knowledge of labeling requirements to review nutritional and ingredient statements and recommend changes when required.
• Experience working with proteins.
• Working knowledge of internal BRC procedures, including cooking instructions validation, thermometer calibration, shelf-life testing and record keeping.

Work authorizations:

• This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship