Overview

As an Associate Principal Product Development Scientist on the PepsiCo Pepared Meals and Food Service team, you will be part of a diverse and fast paced team that leads refresh, reframe and breakthrough product development across the Meals and Food Service team. Projects include new idea generation, integration of culinary designs to develop prototypes, product optimization through consumer research, scale-up, and production start-up for test market and national launch of new products for the PFNA team. You will be working on product launches under Pepsico Foods North America brands like Rice A Roni®, Near East®, Pasta Roni®, Tex Mex and others.

We are looking for a hands-on food product developer that has a passion for food and science and is both, highly creative and technical oriented. This role provides an excellent opportunity to impact consumers through new product development and build strong skillset to manage technical projects. You will be able to deliver results independently and thrive in a collaborative team environment with R&D functions, Insights, Food Safety and Quality, co-manufacturing partners, external 3rd party manufacturing teams, and Marketing.

• Develop and commercialize of consumer-led products for PepsiCo Foods North America, leveraging expertise in food chemistry, food ingredient functionality and experimental design of the right ingredients, formulation, and packaging interaction
• Be creative. Work together with a cross-functional team to design and develop new products, formulate lab prototypes, and lead scale-up the prototypes via pilot plant trials and final manufacturing plants
• Dimensionalize risks, trade-offs across consumer desirability, technical feasibility, financial viability and sustainability and provide commercial solutions against distinct time horizons.

• Develop and launch product formulations that leverage expertise in food chemistry and food ingredient functionality.
• Explore new ingredients and products leveraging internal and external resources.
• Design and execute experiments to drive product development. Analyze and interpret data to make sound technical recommendations on product and process issues. Communicate impact to the business.
• Coordinate production at manufacturing for shelf life, sales samples, scale-up, and other needs.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships across R&D and non-R&D functions including, Procurement, Co-Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, and Legal.
• Effectively manage multiple projects (new, existing) and project types (Innovation, Productivity, and Brand Stewardship), develop work streams, define resource needs, and drive alignment.
• Input, review, and finalize formula specifications and ingredient specifications.
• Perform basic economic evaluations on ingredients, suppliers, and formulations.
• Represent R&D on multi-functional business teams, comprised of individuals from a variety of disciplines, including Marketing, Purchasing, Engineering and other groups.
• Influence others through strong communication & interpersonal skills
• Know in detail and follow the innovation stage gate process to ensure a robust product & process design.
• Provide technical and business risk assessment / perspectives related to new product development.
• Travel (10-25% time)

• The expected compensation range for this position is between $85,200 - $142,650.
• Location, confirmed job-related skills and experience will be considered in setting actual starting salary.Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range during the hiring process.
• Bonus based on performance and eligibility; target payout is 10% of annual salary paid out annually.
• Paid time off subject to eligibility, including paid parental leave, vacation, sick, and bereavement.
• In addition to salary, PepsiCo offers a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees and their families, subject to elections and eligibility: Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Health, and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Insurance (Accident, Group Legal, Life), Defined Contribution Retirement Plan.

• Education: M.S. or B.S or PhD in Food Science or related scientific field.
• B.S. with 5+ years of experience, M.S. with 3+ years of experience developing products in the R&D of the Food Industry

• Background in development and commercialization of new products and/or support of operations strongly desired.
• Detail oriented individual who can manage and partner across R&D functions during accelerated product development life cycles that include new idea generation, prototype development, product optimization, production start-up and national launching of new products
• Knowledge in pasta, oats, grains ingredient functionality.
• Technical skills in applying scientific principles to solve new problems.
• Demonstrated ability to function effectively in stressful, fast-paced situations, with the personal leadership to influence and positively motivate self and peers to manage multiple projects.
• Diversity of thought. Ability to leverage both creative and analytical mindsets.
• Strong communication skills (oral & written)
• Innovative/creative
• Results driven
• Team player (good interpersonal skills, able to inspire/lead others)
• Positive, "can do" attitude