ABOUT AMPI:

AMPI owns seven Midwest-based manufacturing plants where 10 percent of the nation's American-type cheese, processed cheese and butter is produced. The cooperative's award-winning cheese, butter and powdered dairy products are marketed to foodservice, retail and food ingredient customers. In 2019, the co-op launched its Dinner Bell Creamery brand and accompanying Co-op Crafted promise, highlighting more than 50 years of dairy farm families partnering with skilled buttermakers and cheesemakers.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Sr. Scientist - Research & Development will lead and manage the successful development, scale-up, and maintenance of new and innovative product portfolios. They will act as the technical liaison between customers, sales, marketing, and the production facility.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as management may deem necessary from time to time:

1. All AMPI employees have an obligation to report employee safety, food safety and food quality issues to personnel of authority.
2. Initiate and lead technical advancements within new and existing products, product portfolios, and production equipment.
3. Translate customer, sales, and marketing needs into technical requirements that can be used to formulate products.
4. Manage all product development projects to ensure they have clearly defined objectives, resource needs, and plans to deliver efficient scale-up.
5. Responsible for product formulations through the entire product life cycle.
6. Lead, coordinate, and provide technical support for all product scale-up activities.
7. Build new capability within the pilot plant to quickly develop and scale-up new, innovative, or revised products or product portfolios.
8. Routinely communicate to senior management current, new, and emerging science as it relates to new innovative products, packaging, and production processes.
9. Assist with corrective and preventative action for product functionality issues.
10. Lead qualification, onboarding, and maintenance of raw materials and suppliers.
11. Maintain accurate raw material and formula files that are accessible to others within the organization.
12. Assist with the procurement of raw materials to meet formulation requirements.
13. Provide technical support to customers when needed.
14. Ensure all formulations and supporting documentation follow applicable regulations and requirements.

An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. The above list reflects the general details necessary to describe the principle and essential functions of the position and shall not be construed as the only duties that may be assigned for the position.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:

The following are required competencies of the position that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job:

• Demonstrated proficiency in Windows, MS Office Suite including; Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook, internet/intranet and other organizational specific software.
• Exceptional attention to detail, strong organizational and time management skills.
• Knowledge of procedural controls and data validation techniques required.
• Professional communication skills for both internal and external customers, coworkers, team members and consultants.
• Demonstrated excellent training skills involving making presentations covering various topics.
• Ability to plan, initiate, direct, and carry out short and long-term programs.
• Ability to define problems, collect and document data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of situations and events and respond accordingly.
• Possess traits of honesty, integrity, creativity and flexibility.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the products manufactured and the processes involved.
• Ability to read and comprehend standard operating procedures and company guidelines in order to maintain regulatory compliance.
• Ability to understand daily production needs.
• Demonstrated strong teamwork skills, with the ability to lead, participate, and/or work directly with cross-functional teams and/or individuals.
• Ability to perform at a high level in a fast-paced environment with the ability to adapt to a continually changing environment.
• Detail oriented, be quality minded.
• Experience with developing and monitoring production strategies and performance metrics.
• Technical understanding of assigned commodities.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in food science, dairy science or other equivalent degree required.
• Master's degree in food science, dairy science or other equivalent degree preferred.
• Experience in product development, least cost formulation, and food manufacturing is a plus.
• Knowledge of FSMA, HACCP, GMP's, OSHA and loss control programs is highly desirable.
• Prior experience in the dairy or cheese industry, specifically processed cheese, is highly desirable.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS:

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Office - Work is performed in a general office environment with low to moderate noise exposure. May on occasion be exposed to loud sounds and distracting noise levels, such as from office equipment. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch; talk or hear; taste or smell. Most of the time is spent seated at a workstation with access to telephone, computer, printer, files, and reference materials. Requires frequent verbal communication either in person, by telephone or by use of online interactive communication, to interact with vendors, suppliers, and consultants. Requires frequent written communication by requiring frequent typing and writing. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Manufacturing - Work is performed in a manufacturing plant. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee will frequently have to walk and stand. The employee should have the ability to regularly lift up to 55lbs. The employee must be able to push and pull up to 75lbs. Must be able to climb ladders and work at elevations above 4 feet. Employees are regularly exposed to cold temperatures when performing tasks in storage areas. Employees are regularly exposed to warm or hot temperatures with moderate to high humidity levels varying based on the location of the work area. The employee is regularly exposed to wet walking surfaces. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Office - This job operates in a professional office environment. Employees will work face-to-face with others on a daily basis. Some may share office space. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is rarely exposed to outside weather conditions and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually low. May on occasion be exposed to loud sounds and distracting noise levels, such as from office equipment. The employee may be exposed to very low levels of ammonia.

Manufacturing - Employee is occasionally exposed to risk of electrical shock, wet work conditions, fumes or airborne particles. Employee is occasionally exposed to warm conditions with regular exposure to temperature conditions in excess of 100*F or cold temperatures when working in cold storage areas. The employee is regularly exposed to work near moving mechanical parts. Employee is regularly exposed to chemicals during sanitation processes. The noise level in the work environment is occasionally at a high level. The employee is not routinely exposed to weather conditions. The employee may be exposed to very low levels of ammonia.

BENEFITS/REWARDS:

AMPI offers competitive starting pay, PTO, 401k, short-term disability, health, dental, vision, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, employee assistance programs and more.

Associated Milk Producers Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Military and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Functional Expert - Considered a thought leader on a subject
Dedicated - Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity
Innovative - Consistently introduces new ideas and demonstrates original thinking
Leader - Inspires teammates to follow them

Ability to Make an Impact - Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization
Self-Starter - Inspired to perform without outside help

Bachelors of Biochemistry (required)
Masters of Biochemistry (preferred)

Experience in product development, least cost formulation, and food manufacturing is a plus. Knowledge of FSMA, HACCP, GMP's, OSHA and loss control programs is highly desirable. Prior experience in the dairy or cheese industry, specifically processed cheese, is highly desirable. (preferred)