Description/Job Summary: 

The primary responsibility of this role will be to provide Applications and project support to the Dairy Technical Service team.  This will include organizing pilot plant trials, prototype development, benchtop and analytical work, and summarizing and reporting results and conclusions.  This position requires a technical professional with 6+ years of experience in the food industry with an expert level of knowledge of food systems, ingredient functionality, and processing across a broad range of food applications.  Experience and knowledge of Dairy products, formulating, and processing is required. The candidate must have strong communication and interpersonal skills and be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with a large number of customers across a broad range of applications.  The ability and willingness to lead and mentor more junior scientists in technical details, and in demonstrating proper ways of working is expected.  Contribution is measured through quality growth in the technical project pipeline and conversion of technical opportunities to sales.

This role will be ONSITE in our Sycamore pilot plant and will require willingness to travel up to 20%. 

Responsibilities:  

• Lead a team of Dairy Applications Scientists who will complete pilot and lab work for customer facing Technical Service team members 

• Set project expectations, and monitor progress to assure that expectations are met 

• Work with Technical Service team members to complete customer projects or requests 

• Provide Technical Service team members with results and summaries of lab work completed for their customers 

• Manage a library of relevant formulas, prototypes, and customer demos 

• Oversee development of prototypes demos to be used for customer interactions 

• Be a technical resource within the technical community at customers and within Tate & Lyle 

• Leads customer projects and provides technical expertise to address customer issues. 

• Be able to provide customers with technical support related to processing issues or challenges.  

• Understands customer culture, capabilities, structures and processes utilising these insights to support the development of fit for purpose solutions. 

• Follows and shares market intelligence and industry trends to contribute to solution development. 

• Promote Tate & Lyle’s technical leadership position by presenting new product ideas and technologies to existing and potential customers, and at Technical Symposiums. 

• Supports customers in using ingredients by leveraging understanding of Tate & Lyle’s ingredients portfolio and their applications. 

• Creates recognition for Tate & Lyle‘s ingredients/technologies by developing and fostering relationships within the industry. 

• Builds relationships with key decision makers in customer organizations leading to new opportunities. 

• Builds a strong and diverse internal network to be able to draw upon the right sources of expertise as required. 

Competencies: 

• Customer/Market Driven 

• A strong understanding of dairy chemistry, dairy processing conditions, and the formulating and processing challenges associated with the various dairy sub-categories.   

• Actively seeks feedback and uses market insights to deliver customer value at every stage of the research, development and delivery process.  

• Commercial Savvy  

• Combines insights on technical expertise, the external environment and our customers’ business with a deep understanding of Tate & Lyle to drive commercially astute business decisions consistent with our strategic objectives. 

• Technical Solution Development 

• Plays a critical role in developing innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest and most complex food and beverage problems 

• Thinks creatively, analytically and holistically, employing innate curiosity to explore problems and generate impactful solutions. 

• Research and Process Effectiveness 

• Leverages internal processes and systems to execute work in a manner that meets scientific and professional standards 

• Carries out rigorous and high-quality research that elevates Tate & Lyle’s brand as a world-class solutions provider.   

• Collaboration and Influence 

• Seeks out colleagues and external partners to create more effective solutions.  

• Operates across the matrix and integrates work functional and geographical boundaries, to increase shared learning, speed to market and financial impact.  

• Acts as an advisor, both internally to drive the direction of Tate & Lyle and externally to inform thinking and action when solving complex problems.  

• Results Focused 

• Takes accountability for delivering world class solutions.  

• Pro-actively takes ownership and shows initiative in leading and contributing to high-quality and timely work.  

• Proven track record of delivering both technical and commercial success  

Qualifications:  

• Education:  MS or BS in Food Science or other related field 

• 6+ years of experience in the food industry.  Food formulation experience and understanding of food systems and ingredient functionality required. 

• Extensive industry experience including experience demonstrating leadership within the technical community 

• Willingness to travel up to 20% (car and/or air)