Principal Scientist - Product Innovation
Mars · USA-Illinois-Chicago, United States
Job Description:
The Accelerator Division of Mars Snacking is home to 12 emerging and enduring brands within the snack bar, meals and treats categories. Its brands with strong North American presence such as KIND, Eggo, Pop-tart and TrüFrü, also have opportunity for future expansion into international markets. The unique Division objective is to cultivate category visions that are forward thinking and customer focused. Central to our mission is to build agile, entrepreneurial teams with differentiated capabilities in R&D innovation that can translate emerging science into category shaping innovation for tomorrow.
Nutrition & Discovery brings together a cross-functional innovation team dedicated to shaping the future of health & wellness for our brands. By blending deep consumer understanding with scientific foresight, we cultivate product solutions that deliver a solid competitive advantage and are protected from regulatory and policy change. We succeed through collaboration, strategic partnerships, and digitally enabled tools that turn bold ideas into market-leading realities at pace.
We are looking for visionary, agile technical experts who will translate complexity into action, and partner across the organization in pursuit of bringing leading-edge solutions to life in a timely and compliant manner.
As a highly creative and driven Principal Scientist, you are responsible for delivering complex innovation and renovation projects that support our business growth and our nutrition strategy. Our Nutrition & Discovery team is committed to delivering breakthrough innovations, shaping the future of health & wellness for our brands. As a member of this cross-functional team, you will be expected to operate with high autonomy, lead complex innovation and problem-solving, initiate capability-building, collaboratively deliver prioritized programs/projects, and influence cross-functional decisions with broad project and platform impact.
Key Requirements
Key Responsibilities
- Creation of differentiated and protected product solutions that deliver on consumer nutrition needs, via ideation, rapid prototyping and product development.
- Plan and execute technical work to deliver product formulation and commercialization readiness meeting project objectives, timelines, quality, safety, and compliance expectations.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including R&D, manufacturing, quality, supply, procurement, commercial, regulatory, and external partners to drive projects forward.
- Deliver results in a fast-paced environment using data, digital R&D tools (including internal AI platforms), and quick benchtop/plant experimentation, documenting learnings, specifications, recommendations and handoffs in accordance with project and governance requirements.
- Solve complex challenges, identify technical needs, and establish best practices, influencing technical strategy and fit for purpose process creation.
- Nutrition & Discovery brings together a cross-functional innovation team dedicated to shaping the future of health & wellness for our brands. By blending deep consumer understanding with scientific foresight, we cultivate product solutions that deliver a solid competitive advantage and are protected from regulatory and policy change. We succeed through collaboration, strategic partnerships, and digitally enabled tools that turn bold ideas into market-leading realities at pace. We are looking for visionary, agile technical experts who will translate complexity into action, and partner across the organization in pursuit of bringing leading-edge solutions to life in a timely and compliant manner. Bachelor’s degree in Product Design, Food Science, Culinary Science, Engineering, or related discipline; Master's/PhD or equivalent deep technical experience preferred.
- 10-12 years of experience, with recognized subject matter expertise and exposure to a broad range of food categories.
- Deep expertise in product design, rapid prototyping, consumer-led design, visualization/storytelling, product experience, health trends, and cross-functional concept development.
- Able to lead complex projects and manage testing, capital, or external partner spend; making recommendations that affect cost, value, quality, risk, and resource allocation.
- Intrinsically collaborative. Proven track record of working across organizational boundaries to deliver goals and have successfully engaged external partners to unlock new possibilities.
- Energized by collaboration between R&D and cross-functional teams to ensure a smooth translation of ideas into the innovation pipeline.
- Savvy at using data, AI, experimentation, risk assessment, and technical judgment to make recommendations and resolve issues.
- Influential communicator with all levels of the organization, from technical deep-dives with the R&D team to high-level summaries for business leaders.
- Significant travel to laboratories, pilot plants, manufacturing sites, suppliers, or consumer/market learning locations. Experienced at following safety, quality, regulatory, confidentiality, and data integrity requirements.
The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.
The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting:USD 119,040.00 - USD 163,680.00