Duties and Responsibilities:

Product & Process Development and Optimization:

• Works with sales and business development staff to understand customer product lines and develop strategies to reduce costs or enhance product functionality
  
• Researches products/customers that Rembrandt should work with on development projects
  
• Travels to customer to make functional project presentations; Works closely with customers regarding products; suggests/identifies problem solving solutions or alternatives
  
• Manages the development of shelf-life guidelines and specifications for new products, coordinates guidelines with QA Director and follows up on product issues seen and identified by QA department
  
• Assists in the control of ingredient costs through new product development, analyzing food cost information, and suggesting cost saving ideas and changes for currently produced products and new products under development
  
• Works closely with Operations and Supporting Cross-functional teams on process development and improvement projects to properly assess USDA or FDA regulatory needs, processing technologies, quality parameters and process savings.
  
• Researches other egg companies products and execute side by side comparisons
  
• Assesses all Intellectual Property opportunities on new product and process developments and files associated patents or trade secrets with review by companys legal counsel
  

Leadership:

• Coordinates with management on project priority list and report on progress weekly
  
• Ensures team and self are capable of leading the technical portion of Stage Gate projects and meetings to ensure timelines are met
  
• Establishes budget for projects and department
  
• Participates in business development team meetings and operational leadership team meetings
  
• Provides Research and Development team leadership including staffing requirements and hiring process, and performance coaching and development
  
• Establishes and monitors co-worker performance and developmental goals, assigns accountabilities, sets objectives, establishes priorities, conduct annual performance appraisals, and administers salary adjustments as required

Cross-functional Support:

• Works with Purchasing Department on alternate sourcing of products as needed; Prepares and evaluates products for use in plants
  
• Coordinates and executes functional product testing by working cross-functionally with the QA and Operations teams to ensure clients products meet customers functional requirements
  
• Acts as a resource for plants on formula and product failures; Gives expert advice on how to solve production problems
  

Required:

• M.S. degree in Food Science or equivalent
  
• Minimum 8 years experience in R&D, Application Development , QA function within Food Industry
  
• Minimum 4 years of supervisory experience
  
• Strong knowledge of industry practices: USDA, FDA, State regulations
  
• Demonstrate ability to apply principles of logical scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems
  
• Understanding of Microbiology and the ability to perform analytical food quality testing
  
• Awareness and knowledge of surroundings in relation to climate, atmosphere and equipment
  
• General knowledge of relationship of nutrition, pet food and feed ingredients
  
• Understanding of various types of lab equipment and pilot plant equipment utilized in the food protein industry and final customer product applications
  
• Understanding of ingredient interactions, processes and capabilities in the manufacture of egg-related products
  

Mathematical skills:

• Logical/analytical to include percentages, fractions, and advanced algebra
  
• Ability to work with concepts such as limits, rings, quadratic and differential equations and proofs of theories
  
• Ability to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables and nonverbal symbolism (formulas, graphs, etc.)
  
• Ability to understand and interpret testing results; Statistical analysis of data a must
  
• Leadership Skills:
  
• Demonstrate managerial, project management and leadership skills
  
• Demonstrate problem-solving and decision-making abilities that reflect depth of knowledge, focus on the customer, and recognition of business objectives
  
• Demonstrate ability to make group presentations on controversial or complex topics
  

Commitment to a team environment and a willingness and ability to learn