Full Job Description
About Us
The Kraft Heinz Company is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, with eight $1 billion+ brands and global sales of approximately $25 billion. We’re a globally trusted producer of high-quality, great-tasting, and nutritious foods for over 150 years. While Kraft Heinz is co-headquartered in Chicago and Pittsburgh, our brands are truly global, with products produced and marketed in over 40 countries. These beloved products include condiments and sauces, cheese and dairy, meals, meats, refreshment beverages, coffee, infant and nutrition products, and numerous other grocery products in a portfolio of more than 200 legacy and emerging brands.
We spark joy around mealtime with our iconic brands, including Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Heinz, Philadelphia, Lunchables, Velveeta, Planters, Maxwell House, Capri Sun, Ore-Ida, Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Primal Kitchen, and Classico, among others.
No matter the brand, we’re united under one vision: To sustainably grow by delighting more consumers globally . Bringing this vision to life is our team of 39,000+ food lovers, creative thinkers, and high performers worldwide. Together, we help provide meals to those in need through our global partnership with Rise Against Hunger. We also stand committed to responsible, sustainable practices that extend to every facet of our business, our consumers, and our communities. Every day, we’re transforming the food industry with bold thinking and unprecedented results. If you share our passion – and are ready to create the future, build a legacy, and lead as a global citizen – there’s only one thing to do: join our table and let’s make life delicious!
Our Culture of Ownership, Meritocracy & Collaboration
We're not afraid to think differently. Embrace new ideas. Dream big. We empower our people at every level – from entry-level intern to senior leader – to own their work. We share a responsibility to think like Owners – to be mindful of the collective and sustained success of Kraft Heinz – which we apply to every situation, every day. As part of Kraft Heinz, you're supported to grow and achieve. You’re expected to bring your authentic self to work every day, to lead with humility, and drive outstanding performance at every level – and you’ll be rewarded. You’re given opportunities to leave a mark and build a legacy. But you won’t do it alone. You’re supported by passionate teammates along the way, and our collective, collaborative spirit fuels our incredible progress.
Job Description
The Role
Kraft Heinz is seeking candidates in the expertise of Enzymes or Proteins to join our Technology Platforms team. This position offers the candidate an excellent opportunity to lead innovative and disruptive ingredient technology platforms while creating competitive advantage across the global Kraft Heinz portfolio.
The candidate will manage technical platforms, identify and lead ingredient technology development initiatives. The candidate should be able to also identify future technology platforms, prioritize research pathways, demonstrate proof of concept, develop prototypes, conduct technology scale up trials, validate technology in model systems and applications, conduct consumer testing, and commercialize technologies.
This individual must have a proven strong technical background, leadership, intellectual curiosity, problem solving and project management skills. Technical background could include one of the following (experience in plant-based ingredients is a plus).
Protein chemistry, enzymology, proteins/ingredient interaction and processing for improved functionality. Experience in plant proteins is a plus.
Food science, ingredient science-fats and oils, carbohydrates, proteins, ingredient interactions, ingredient functionality, flavor science/applications, emulsion science and dairy science.
The candidate will have also cross-functional team interaction with the scientific community/ecosystem outside of Kraft Heinz, the internal marketing, Business Units R&D, procurement, finance, operations, quality, regulatory and manufacturing. He or she will need to interact and build research collaboration programs with the external ecosystem while progressing some of the research pathways internally.
Responsibilities :
The individual will identify, scope, design and develop technology platforms to support different KHC product categories renovations and innovations initiatives
Design and execute experimental plans. Apply learnings to drive product renovation and innovation
Possess strong technical functional skills to evaluate protein/ingredient functionality and process interaction in various food matrixes, including plant-based foods
Expertise in applying enzyme technologies for food and beverage applications
Be able to embrace all aspects of ingredient technology development including the fuzzy front end, ideation, design, development and commercialization
Establish solid project research plans, conduct appropriate testing, gather and analyze data, develop recommendation and assess risk based on finding
Conduct bench top, pilot plant and plant trials to explore, optimize formulation and processes
Work cross functionally with other team members to progress company research
Responsible for technology scouting and discovery
Build/have external connection to research partners such as universities, research centers, consultants
Technical Requirements:
PhD in Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Emulsion Science, Dairy Science, Food Chemistry, Biology or related fields
3-5+ years of relevant experience or MS in the above fields with 5+ years of relevant experience or BS is above fields with 10+ years of relevant experience
Strong ingredient and food matrix/model system know how and skills
Demonstrated record of conducting research development projects either individually or in collaboration with other teams
Demonstrated executional excellence in technology discovery, scale up and commercialization
Strong expertise in protein chemistry/processing/functionality and/or fermentation/bioconversions/enzymes. Expert in developing different bioassays to drive screening and knowledge building on characterization of proteins/enzymes.
Experience with ingredient fundamentals and their interaction, specifically to proteins, dairy and non-dairy, and/or enzymes
Demonstrated executional excellence in technology discovery, scale up and commercialization experiences
Experience and proven expert knowledge with dairy and non-dairy science, emulsion technology, flavor/ingredient interactions, in plant-based systems
Additional Requirements:
Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage complexity
Demonstrated ability to deal with ambiguity
Demonstrated track record of creative out of the box thinker with ability to define and prioritize research pathways that will ensure success
Possess excellent industry external ecosystem, as well as setting up and conducting collaborative research engaging externally
Possess technical/intellectual curiosity, understand how technology can be insulated
Ability to manage projects with a high degree of autonomy
Excellent verbal and communication skills
Location(s)
Glenview R&D Center
Equal Opportunity Employer–minorities/females/veterans/individuals with disabilities/sexual orientation/gender identity
