Principal Scientist, R&D – Product Development - Elevation Growth

Location: Warrendale, Pennsylvania, United States. Full-time onsite role at the Heinz Innovation Center. Travel up to 30% may include United States and Canada plants, co-manufacturers, and suppliers.

Salary: $104,200–$130,200 annual base salary, plus eligibility for a performance-based bonus.

Company

Global food and consumer packaged goods company developing and commercializing branded sauces, condiments, and other food products for retail markets.

What you will do

• Lead product development activities for thermally processed sauces and condiments across major retail brands.
• Evaluate project briefs for technical feasibility, cost, execution timing, risk, and probability of success, then provide go/no-go recommendations.
• Generate consumer-insight-led concepts, define technical enablers and claims pathways, and author concept briefs.
• Manage product testing and qualification across consumer research, laboratory, and manufacturing environments.
• Lead scale-up and commercialization from bench and pilot stages through factory trials and process capability validation.
• Mentor junior R&D developers and raise technical standards through coaching, design reviews, and technical leadership.

Requirements

• BS in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Agricultural Science, or a related field, with at least 6 years of successful end-to-end product commercialization experience in food or CPG; alternatively, 5 years with a master's degree.
• Strong knowledge of ingredients, ingredient interactions, food laboratory test methods, Design of Experiments, SPC, capability analysis, and data interpretation using Minitab or an equivalent tool.
• Experience authoring raw material, work-in-process, finished goods, and trade specifications, and establishing control plans.
• Hands-on experience with bench-to-factory scale-up, plant trials, and process capability validation.
• Excellent communication, influencing, project management, problem-solving, prioritization, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to lead, coach, and motivate others while managing multiple projects independently.

Nice to have

• Experience with processed cheese formulation, including emulsification chemistry, functional ingredient systems, melt and texture optimization, and flavor development.
• Knowledge of pasteurized process cheese, cheese sauces, and analog or imitation products.

Culture & Benefits

• Healthcare coverage for employees and eligible dependents, including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision plans.
• Paid time off, company holidays, leave programs, and flexible work arrangements where applicable.
• 401(k), life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, and disability benefits.
• Employee assistance, family support, wellbeing, recognition, training, and learning programs.
• Performance-based bonus eligibility and support for physical, social, emotional, and financial wellbeing.