The Opportunity:  Biotechnology subject matter expert and thought leader in biosynthesis and biotransformations in the Health and Wellness New Product Development, Innovation and Commercial Development group.

Position: Research Scientist, Health and Wellness, Innovation and Commercial Development (ICD)

Location: Hoffman Estates, North American headquarters and Global Commercial and Food Innovation Center

The Team:

Tate & Lyle is a global leader in providing ingredients and solutions to the food and beverage industries.  With 2016 sales of $3 billion USD and four thousand employees, Tate & Lyle operates from over 30 locations and a network of research centers worldwide.  Built on over 150 years of leadership in sweeteners, as an ingredient supplier and innovator, Tate & Lyle is transforming itself into a specialty provider in the global food and beverage space.  Today Tate & Lyle makes hundreds of ingredients, which go into thousands of products, enjoyed by millions of consumers around the world every day.

Creating and evolving world class innovation capabilities is a key part of Tate & Lyle’s growth strategy.   Tate & Lyle’s Innovation and Commercial Development function (ICD) is at the heart of this innovation model and it is where this position will reside.   ICD brings together research and development, open innovation, platform management and global marketing into one fully integrated global team.  ICD connects consumer needs with leading-edge science to provide innovative ingredients and solutions for our customers and their consumers.  

Today, Tate & Lyle’s ingredients and solutions are well positioned to enable us to partner with our customers to meet global consumer demands for healthier and better tasting food and drink.  Together with our customers we are working towards sustainable advancement in reducing sugar, calorie and fat content.  In doing so, we are creating better food and beverages options for consumers and for the society in which we operate.  Come join us as we work together, connecting science and consumer insights to innovate and create extraordinary offerings across the marketplace and the globe.

The Role Details:

We currently have an opening for a self-motivated, creative and driven research leader who will focus on the development of new product solutions for Health and Wellness.   The team is currently composed of a diverse group of experienced scientists with skills in microbiology, chemistry, engineering, enzymology, food science & human nutrition. Prior experience in providing thought leadership while using technology to solve complex research problems is required.   Demonstrated ability to develop and champion independent ideas for new product development is essential in this role.  

The Research Scientist will have three primary areas of responsibility:

1. Execution of Technical Project Objectives: Planning and executing laboratory work to design ingredients and document results, involving supervision & mentoring of junior scientists & technicians. Collaboration with internal and external resources to advance technical product development, through scale-up activities and to provide technical expertise to support existing business in relevant areas.

2. Competitive Analyses: Critical evaluation of cutting edge technology in relevant fields to determine technical fit and ability to leverage these for Health and Wellness New Product Development (NPD)

3. Project Leadership: Lead product development projects, driving establishment & coordination of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary project teams with engineering, analytical, food applications, nutrition, product design and other technical personnel. Engage with regulatory, legal, commercial and other non-technical personnel to ensure projects proceed in accordance with internal processes & metrics, and may be responsible for delivery of the project through the commercial launch.

We are seeking a self-motivated and innovative technical expert in the area of chemical modifications and transformations utilizing enzyme, fermentation or physical processing technologies.   Demonstration of strong knowledge and industrial hands-on experience in the area of new product development and an understanding of the ways in which optimized enzymes can be utilized to create new food ingredients is essential.

The successful candidate will be responsible for leading or acting as a key technical contributor on projects/experiments/research. Candidate will be expect to act with considerable latitude in determining technical approach required to meet desired objectives for new product development (NPD).

Impact: Impacts the effectiveness of projects across functional groups through measureable delivery of 1-2 technologies with high potential commercial value.

Functional Expertise (Technical Knowledge): Demonstrates full use and application of scientific, project management, design excellence and other principles and concepts to assignments where precedents may exist plus working knowledge of other related disciplines. Fully competent in reviewing scientific literature, developing hypothesis and planning and conducting experiments to confirm or disprove hypothesis.

Functional Expertise (Ideation/Innovation/Problem Solving): Provides solutions to a wide range of difficult problems. Demonstrates developed initiative and creativity in identifying and trying new and different approaches. Defines next gen technology.

Functional Expertise (Customer Understanding): Has an emerging understanding of our customers’ products and available technologies and can effectively identify creative solutions that meet customer requirements. Demonstrates the ability to translate understanding of customers’ needs into new solutions or product ideas.

Technical/Project Leadership: Developing ability to effectively lead tactical quick hit, or early stage NPD projects or work as a key team member in the new product development process.

Communicating and Influencing: Demonstrates the ability to effectively provide leadership and direction. Capable of presenting research output in formal ways outside the organization. Demonstrates ability to communicate and interact with others in a way that builds working relationships. Effectively builds rapport with all levels within ICD. Emerging competency in generating technology white papers and presenting.

Talent Development: Capability to supervise, formally or informally, more junior personnel.

Organizational Processes and Capabilities (Safety): Demonstrates behavioral safety mentorship.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Microbiology, Organic/Natural Products/Medicinal Chemistry or Chemical/Bioprocess/Metabolic Engineering
• A broad background in the application of biotechnology to create value added products and ingredient solutions
• Relevant industrial expertise which includes new chemistries development via biosynthesis and/or biotransformations, directly performing hands on laboratory development
• Experience in any of the areas of ingredient design from the following list: enzyme modification of food ingredients, physical processing of food ingredients (spray drying, drum drying agglomeration, blending etc.), natural products extraction, and separations technology as applied to product design, fermentation to produce food ingredients, or creation of complex food ingredient systems.
• Demonstrated track record of technical, behavioral and thought leadership
• Understanding of industrial new product development from concept to commercial production
• Excellent demonstrated verbal and written communication skills, ability to document research effectively and communicate results to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Track record of publications and/or patents
• Personal alignment with Tate and Lyle’s Core Values (safety, integrity, respect) and Performance Values (accountability, achievement, creativity, speed and teamwork)
   
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