Job Title: Senior Scientist – Beverage R&DEmployment Type: Full-TimeRelocation Assistance Available – YesJob ID: 3342363Location: Bridgeton, Missouri, United States

Our Award Winning Client, a globally recognized and industry-leading developer of specialty ingredients, is actively seeking a Senior Scientist to join its dynamic Flavors R&D team within the Manufacturing & Production sector. This individual will focus on the innovation, development, and scale-up of novel beverage technologies and flavor systems, contributing to the advancement of health and wellness products worldwide.

This position plays a key role in the product lifecycle—from concept to commercialization—and offers the opportunity to influence both local and international strategies through technical leadership and collaborative project execution.

Key Responsibilities:

• Champion a safety-first culture and uphold laboratory best practices.

• Lead R&D efforts focused on innovation, product development, and functional beverage applications.

• Formulate and commercialize new beverage concepts including fruit drinks, energy drinks, enhanced waters, dairy-based beverages, sports drinks, coffee, and tea.

• Conduct scale-up operations and collaborate with production teams to transition formulations to manufacturing.

• Utilize and optimize functional ingredients such as flavors, acidifiers, stabilizers, sweeteners, and nutritional components.

• Perform analytical testing and sensory evaluations to refine taste, stability, and performance.

• Interpret experimental data and generate technical documentation supporting commercialization and cross-functional strategies.

• Partner with Sales, Marketing, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, and Senior Leadership to deliver product solutions that align with business goals.

• Represent the R&D function in customer meetings and industry events, translating complex science into practical applications.

• Stay informed on emerging industry technologies, trends, and competitive intelligence.

• Mentor junior scientists and contribute to the knowledge-sharing culture within the organization.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related scientific discipline with 10+ years of relevant industry experience OR Master’s degree with 5+ years of experience.

• A minimum of 5 years hands-on experience in beverage formulation and scale-up is required.

• Expertise in UHT/HTST processing is highly preferred.

• Proven capabilities in new product development, specification creation, and technology transfer.

• Deep technical knowledge in functional beverage formulation, stability testing, sensory profiling, and process scalability.

• Strong data analysis, problem-solving, and project management skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and formulation software tools.

• Ability to manage multiple complex projects and communicate effectively across technical and non-technical teams.

• Demonstrated success in leading cross-functional initiatives and delivering commercialized products to market.

Working Conditions:

• Work is performed in both lab and pilot plant environments, involving equipment handling, data analysis, and physical activity such as standing and lifting materials.

• Occasional travel (domestic/international) for customer engagements, industry events, or inter-site collaboration may be required.

Candidate Profile:

• Experience Level: Mid-Senior

• Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree

• Management Experience: Not Required

• Travel Requirement: Occasional

Benefits & Perks:

• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits

• Paid relocation assistance

• Collaborative, innovation-driven culture

• Access to state-of-the-art R&D facilities

• Career development and continued learning opportunities

Note: All candidate information will be handled with the utmost discretion. Your resume will never be shared without your explicit consent. We receive new opportunities daily—should your qualifications closely align with the needs of our clients, we will contact you to explore next steps.