Principle Scientist of R&D

Who We Are:

nutpods manufactures plant based, dairy-free coffee creamers and adjacent products for coffee lovers nationwide. Now the #2 plant-based creamer brand nationwide across retail and online channels, nutpods has fostered a cult following and has exciting plans for growth in the coming years. With a small and mighty team of 35 people, nutpods is looking for eager, enthusiastic, and experienced candidates for this important role.

Company Culture:

Our culture is of huge importance to the owners and team at nutpods. We are looking for people who will be a great addition to our culture. We are:

· Kind: We treat each other with kindness and mutual respect.

· Dynamic: We are full of energy and defined by constant progress, collaboration, and new ideas.

· Relentless: We relentlessly pursue a crazy good product, business, and team.

· Empowered: We empower each other to fail forward with trust, transparency, and the opportunity to learn and grow.

· Passionate: We take immense pride in what we make, how we work together, the impact we have, and how we treat people.

We strive to do what’s right for our team, customers, and quality, even when no one is looking.

Position Summary:

The Principal Scientist, R&D, reporting to the Vice President of R&D and Quality, will play a critical role in driving innovation, product quality improvement, and operational excellence for R&D. This position will focus on advancing the company’s pipeline of plant-based products through expertise in formulation development, emulsion stability, aseptic processing, and ingredient optimization. The Principal Scientist will collaborate with Marketing, Quality, Operations, and external partners, to deliver innovative, high-quality products while optimizing cost and efficiency.

Essential Functions:

· Lead the development and commercialization of innovative coffee creamers with a concentration on plant-based formulations and aseptic processing technologies.

· Integrate digital platforms and AI into formulation workflows, managing ingredient data, shelf-life tracking, and analytical test results.

· Act as the technical expert in aseptic processing, overseeing product quality optimization within the organization.

· Design and implement scalable workflows for knowledge capture and ingredient management to enhance cross-functional collaboration.

· Develop and execute experimental plans, including pilot trials, manufacturing runs, and shelf-life assessments.

· Collaborate with internal teams such as operations, marketing, and quality assurance to drive innovation and ensure successful product launches.

· Establish and maintain relationships with external partners, including suppliers and co-manufacturers, to facilitate product development.

· Stay informed of emerging technologies, plant-based trends, and advancements in aseptic processing to sustain competitive advantage.

· Apply deep technical knowledge in ingredients, formulation, and shelf-life verification to lead R&D initiatives.

· Utilize digital tools and platforms to optimize data-driven decision-making in formulation and ingredient management processes.

Green Grass Foods, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, creed, citizenship, disability, protected veteran or marital status.

Required Skill Set and Experience:

· A B.S. in Food Science, Food Chemistry, Food Engineering, or related fields, with 9+ years of industry experience in food product development.

· Extensive experience in plant-based formulation and aseptic processing technologies, including equipment, operations, and quality control.

· Demonstrated ability to lead complex R&D initiatives, including scaling products from concept to commercialization.

· Relevant experience in plant-based or dairy-based beverage industry with experience in aseptic processing facilities.

· Action-oriented, results-focused individual with can-do attitude.

· Willingness to travel up to 20% of time.

Additional competencies for success at nutpods:

· CUSTOMER SERVICE DEDICATION - Dedicated to listening and understanding customers, anticipating their needs, and giving top priority to customer satisfaction.

· COLLABORATION - Working effectively within the organization to accomplish the mission, understand the values and vision, and integrate into all functional areas of the business.

· TEAM INFLUENCE - Using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to inspire and guide individuals toward goal achievement; modifying behaviors to accommodate the tasks, situations, and people involved.

· DEVELOPMENT – Willing and able to develop skills and competencies to support current and future jobs.

· INDIVIDUAL LEADERSHIP (INFLUENCE) - Using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to inspire and guide individuals (customers, peers, and superiors) toward goal achievement; modifying behavior to accommodate tasks, situations, and individuals involved.

· MAXIMIZING PERFORMANCE - Goal ownership oriented and open to coaching to optimize individual and company performance.

· STRONG TEAM MEMBER -Focused on organizational goals, understands the importance of blending into teams and supporting strong morale and sense of purpose within the team. Understands why groups do what they do. Picks up intentions, needs, positions, values and motivational triggers of fellow team members.

· FLEXIBILITY / ADAPTABILITY - The ability to readily modify, respond to, and integrate change with minimal personal resistance.

· RESOURCEFUL - The ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties.

Benefits:

· Base salary range:

· Annual bonus potential

· Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)

· 401k Retirement Plan with company match

· Life Insurance

· Paid Time Off

· New Parent Leave

· Long Term Disability Insurance

· Wellness Resources