Plant R&D Scientist - Post Consumer Brands

Headquartered in Lakeville, Minn., Post Consumer Brands, a business unit of Post Holdings, Inc., is dedicated to providing people and their pets with delicious food choices for every taste and budget. The company’s portfolio includes beloved brands such as Honey Bunches of Oats®, PEBBLES®, Grape-Nuts® and Malt-O-Meal® cereal, and Peter Pan® peanut butter, as well as Rachael Ray® Nutrish®, Kibbles ‘n Bits® and 9Lives® dog and cat food. As a company committed to high standards of quality and to our values, we are driven by one idea: To make lives better by making delicious food accessible for all. For more information about our brands, visit www.postconsumerbrands.com and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest news.

Post Consumer Brands recently acquired several iconic pet food brands, venturing into a new market while remaining true to our purpose to provide delicious and accessible food that our consumers love. We’re always searching the center store for the next exciting product to add to our portfolio, and right now, we’re growing and need passionate, driven individuals with diverse perspectives to help us reach greater heights. That’s where you come in. Join a team where your voice is not only heard but valued. Make a real impact on brands enjoyed by millions of people and their pets.

At Post Consumer Brands, we take pride in our longstanding legacy of making one of every five breakfast cereals families eat daily. Today, we’re just as focused on our future as we expand our grocery business with different shelf-stable foods, including snacks and peanut butter. We are committed to providing accessible and delicious food for families, and we’re always searching the center store for the next exciting product to add to our portfolio. As we soar to new heights, we need creative, determined individuals from all walks of life to join our team, where your unique perspective and ideas are acknowledged and valued. Be a part of a company that empowers you to make a difference that’s evident on grocery store shelves and families’ tables across North America.

Post Consumer Brands in Jonesboro, Ark. is home to more than 200 team members. Jonesboro may be a smaller town, but it has a strong performing arts scene, multiple schools, and a diverse geography with sports and outdoor recreation opportunities for everyone. The Post Jonesboro team supports the community through food pantry volunteering and an annual toy drive during the holiday season.

OVERVIEW: 

This position will perform as a frontline technical resource for sustaining and improving ingredient and product performance as well as KPI results for safety, quality, yield, rates, and efficiencies. Provide technical support and validation for products when implementing new formulas, ingredients, processes, and equipment. Improving and sustaining finished product identity at the plant level.  Acts as a plant representative & consultant for product and process changes including new formulas, ingredients, processes, and equipment. Plant coordinator for commercialization of changes to existing products.  Support, implement, and maintain food safety, food safety culture, and quality practices as required through SQF.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• Subject matter expert accountable for training our technical resources and operators on ingredient and product functionality, as well as the manufacturing process.
• Identifying and sharing best practices across sites to improve product, process, and ingredient efficiencies.
• Identifying and leading formula, ingredient, or process changes to improve and optimize manufacturing efficiencies and costs.
• Advise on process safety issues and support safety improvements.
• Generate and update work instructions for production processes as required.
• Provide daily support to sustain current product & process performance targets for safety, quality, yield, rate, and efficiency.
• Support validation of process and product parameter changes at the plant level (e.g., equipment, process, or product related).
• Plant coordination for commercialization of new products & corporate cost savings projects.
• Responsible for improving product quality and consistency at the plant level or across plants.
• Accountable for facilitating local change control review and tracking local changes.
• Responsible for updating, maintaining, and conducting analysis at the plant level to support daily manufacturing.

• Understanding of Lean Manufacturing/Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Must have strong analytical skills and sound business judgment including demonstrated problem-solving and trouble-shooting skills.
• Ability to influence, mentor and coach to get results through others.
• Organizes and manages projects; interacts, supports, facilitates, and leads multi-functional work teams; leads teams to consensus; strong negotiation skills.
• Demonstrates a passion for safety. Able to maintain a respectful and safe work environment.
• Results driven for being the low-cost producer and supporting company growth strategies.
• Communicates a compelling vision and inspired sense of purpose. Talks about the possibilities and is optimistic. Creates strong morale and spirit within team.
• Solves highly complex problems and prioritizes actions in a timely manner. Probes all sources for answers and can quickly sense what will help resolve issues.
• Establish clear directions and set stretching objectives. Lays out work in a well-planned and organized manner and brings out the best in people through leveraging their strengths.
• Speaks candidly and provides constructive feedback in a professional manner.
• Able to build strong and diverse relationships across the business groups they partner with. Supports and fosters change.

EDUCATION:

Minimum of a 4-year degree in food science, engineering, or other technical degree.

EXPERIENCE:

Minimum of 2 years of manufacturing related experience in food manufacturing, product development, quality assurance, or process engineering and/or process development.
Experience in the food industry or consumer products is preferred.