Principal Scientist R&D

Principal Scientist R&D The Principal Scientist, Salty Snacks, is a senior technical leader within the Technical Product Development & Optimization organization, responsible for driving innovation, product development, and process optimization across a diverse portfolio of snack platforms. Serving as a recognized technical expert in wet-popped and air-popped popcorn, baking science, tortilla chips, potato chips, expanded snacks, and emerging snack forms, this role leads complex product and process development initiatives from concept through commercialization. The position integrates advanced scientific, regulatory, consumer, operational, and business considerations to develop differentiated products that enhance performance, quality, safety, manufacturability, and market relevance. The role provides technical leadership across cross-functional teams, guiding strategic technical decisions, resolving complex development challenges, and influencing the long-term direction of product, process, and technology platforms. Working closely with partners across Marketing, Consumer Insights, Quality, Engineering, Procurement, and Operations, the Principal Scientist shapes innovation pipelines, supports commercialization and capability-building efforts, and ensures alignment between technical solutions and business objectives. Through technical mentorship, thought leadership, and the application of emerging technologies and advanced methodologies, this role strengthens organizational capability, advances technical excellence, and contributes to the long-term growth strategy of the Salty Snacks business. Provide technical leadership for complex salty snack product development initiatives, ensuring products meet consumer, market, regulatory, quality, cost, and manufacturing requirements. Apply scientific expertise and evidence-based decision making to develop differentiated, scalable solutions that support business growth and category objectives. Serve as the subject matter expert across core salty snack technologies, including wet-popped popcorn, air-popped popcorn, baking science, tortilla chips, potato chips, expanded snacks, and emerging snack platforms. Leverage deep technical knowledge to solve complex product and process challenges, advance innovation, and guide strategic technical decisions. Lead formulation development, process optimization, and commercialization activities from concept through launch. Oversee prototyping, ingredient system development, pilot plant trials, scale-up activities, and factory implementation to deliver products that meet performance, quality, cost, sustainability, and manufacturability objectives. Develop and maintain technical specifications, standards, and documentation for ingredients, products, and manufacturing processes that ensure regulatory compliance, quality consistency, operational effectiveness, and alignment with global manufacturing capabilities. Drive technical strategy and innovation pipeline development by partnering with commercial, consumer insights, quality, engineering, procurement, and operations teams to assess opportunities, prioritize initiatives, manage technical risk, and establish executable pathways for near- and mid-term innovation. Apply advanced scientific and data-driven methodologies to improve product performance, sensory experience, shelf life, manufacturing efficiency, and process capability, while identifying and implementing emerging technologies and innovative approaches. Support capital projects, equipment selection, and manufacturing capability development through a strong understanding of process-product interactions, processing technologies, and operational requirements. Influence organizational technical capability and thought leadership by identifying systemic challenges, developing innovative solutions, and advocating for new technologies, modernized methods, and best practices that strengthen competitive advantage. Mentor and develop scientists, engineers, and technicians, fostering technical excellence, critical thinking, and capability growth across the organization. Serve as a technical resource and representative in internal forums, supplier collaborations, and external industry engagements. Minimum Education & Requirements Experience 7-10+ years of experience in food R&D, preferably within salty snacks, cereals, extrusion, frying, or baking. Deep technical expertise in popcorn, chips, baked snacks, and expanded systems. Strong understanding of ingredient functionality, frying, extrusion, thermal processing, and baking systems. Demonstrated excellence in commercialization and pilot-to-plant scale-up. Strong business acumen, communication, and cross-functional leadership. Expert-level understanding of at least three of the following areas: popcorn technology, baking science, chip manufacturing, extrusion/expansion, fats/oils chemistry, thermal processing. Demonstrated success leading complex product and process development projects. Strong problem-solving skills with ability to apply scientific principles to manufacturing environments. Excellent communication, leadership, and influencing skills. Preferred Experience with commercialization in multiple manufacturing plants. Strong background in ingredient functionality, starch/protein chemistry, and textural science. Experience using analytical tools including rheology, thermal analysis, and microstructure characterization. Track record of innovation, patents, or breakthrough product launches. Demonstrated people leadership, talent development, and team engagement capability. Education MS or PhD in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Grain Science, or a related discipline. Will consider Bachelors in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Grain Science, or a related discipline with 12 - 15 years experience minimum.