Principal Scientist

Principal Scientist

Affton, Missouri R&D – R&D /Permanent Full-Time /On-Site

The Irca Group is an International Leader in high quality finished and semi-finished ingredients for the bakery, pastry, and ice cream markets. With a solid history of over 100 years in the industry, the Group has its headquarters in Italy (Gallarate) and a strong global footprint with 23 production sites and over 2000 employees in Europe, the United States and Vietnam.

Our core product categories include chocolate, compounds, chocolate decorations, sprinkles, creams, pastry mixes, gelato ingredients, nuts and candied fruit. The most recent acquisition of Kerry Sweet complements our existing categories with the addition of sweet particulates, chocolate confections, inclusions, variegates and frozen fruit purees.

Through its 8 key brands (IRCA, Dobla, in2food, Via Degli Orsini, JoyGelato, RaviFruit, Cesarin and Anastasi) the IRCA Group offers an unparalleled "one-stop shop" approach for delivering quality solutions to all ingredients needs, through a broad range of innovative products. We offer every day and seasonal solutions to 3 macro channels: Gourmet, Food Manufacturing and Consumer Product (Retail). “Extraordinary made simple”

We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Scientist to work onsite at our lab located in Affton, MO.

The focus will be to consistently improve food quality including flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, convenience, as well as the physical, chemical, and microbiological composition of food. Support production of customer projects by working collaboratively with the production plant(s) during start up through scaling and commercialization processes. Understand competitive market to meet and exceed customer project expectations and production requirements for commercialization of products.

• Lead complex development of projects including novel formulas, processing, and product emulations on time and within budget.
• Manage initial sample preparation and coordinate shipment to customers.
• Manage product through scale up from bench to pilot plant and pilot plant to production facility.
• Support Purchasing and Manufacturing on product, formula, ingredient and process optimizations.
• Represent R&D on customer calls and during onsite customer visits and plant trials.
• Complete documentation required for commercialization and knowledge retention in a timely manner.
• Interact closely with a cross-functional group of technical, professional, and managerial staff of R&D, as well as Manufacturing, Engineering, Sales, and Marketing.
• Mentor and train junior team members.
• Act as subject matter expert in at least one confectionary core competency.
• Support timely documentation of IP and R&D knowledge.
• Actively identify new ingredients, processes, and products for innovation activities through interactions with vendors, attendance of tradeshows, and market surveys.

• Experience working and collaborating with global teams, leveraging external and internal resources to accelerate development timelines.
• Ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial environment and act as an owner with a high level of autonomy.
• Proven track record of successful new product commercial launches.
• High level of comfort working through ambiguity and with changing priorities.
• Ability and willingness to act as technical mentor for junior scientists and internal subject matter expert to internal and external customers.
• Ability to taste and smell chemical, flavors, and other food products (including dairy, soy, wheat, peanut, tree nuts, and milk).
• Ability to quickly synthesize technical information and translate into business opportunities.
• Ability to communicate technical challenges and solutions to a non-technical audience.
• Excellent organization, teamwork, communication skills (verbal and written) and follow-through.
• Proficient computer skills (basic knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams) along with the ability to learn new systems.
• Lift up to 50 pounds unassisted. Must be able to stand for long periods of time in a laboratory setting.
• Domestic travel to customers and production plants as necessary to meet objectives of the role. Opportunity for international travel. Total travel approx. 20%.

• BS in food science or related field, including chemical engineering, food engineering; MS or PhD desirable.
• 15+ years of industry experience in R&D with at least 10 years of confections/chocolate experience. Subject matter expertise in at least one area of confectionary/chocolate development highly preferred.

Why Join Us:

Irca Group offers career growth opportunities as well as competitive compensation and benefits: Medical, Dental, & Vision, 401(k) matching, Paid Vacation, and Holidays, Employee Education Tuition Reimbursement Program.