Sr. Scientist

This role is a technical thought leader within the Dairy Foods R&D Seasonings and Ingredients team at Land O’Lakes, Inc. The Sr. Scientist II will lead high-impact, complex projects and provide strategic technical leadership in the development and commercialization of spray-dried dairy powders and seasonings. The role requires deep dairy technical expertise, strong customer engagement and industry influence, ensuring solutions deliver differentiated value to customers and align with business objectives. This person will have direct formulation responsibilities for spray-dried dairy powders and seasonings.

The position requires on-site presence in Arden Hills a minimum of 4 days per week.

Key Responsibilities

• Own formulation development for spray-dried dairy powders and seasonings, ensuring technical excellence and alignment with customer needs.
• Lead and propose strategic projects of significant complexity and impact, driving innovation in spray-dried powders and seasonings.
• Serve as a primary technical consultant for internal teams and external customers, influencing decisions and shaping development strategies.
• Apply advanced dairy technology and food science principles, leveraging cross-disciplinary knowledge to create innovative solutions.
• Design and execute robust experimental plans (DOE) and interpret data using advanced statistical tools.
• Provide technology thought leadership, sharing insights and mentoring others to build organizational capability.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Sales, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, and Manufacturing to ensure seamless commercialization.
• Represent R&D and the business in customer visits and plant trials, demonstrating professionalism and strategic influence.
• Drive continuous improvement in formulation and process design, proactively identifying opportunities for efficiency and capability building.

Required Education and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related field.
• 8 or more years of experience in the food industry, specifically in product development or processing, with proven ability to lead complex projects independently.
• Demonstrated customer-facing experience and ability to influence technical and business decisions.
• Expertise in dairy systems, spray drying, and cheese powder formulation.
• Strong understanding of product development lifecycle, process optimization, and applied research principles.
• Ability to manage ambiguity and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to travel up to 20%

Preferred Education and Qualifications:

• Graduate degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Food Science or related discipline.
• Advanced skills in Design of Experiments (DOE), data analysis, and interpretation using statistical tools.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with experience presenting technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Ability to provide strategic consultation to internal teams and external customers.
• Business acumen to understand R&D’s impact on profitability and customer value.

Required Travel:

Up to 20% for customer meetings and plant trials.

Salary range: $105,040 - $157,560 (in most cases, candidates offered employment can expect to be hired at a pay rate near the middle of our salary ranges)

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About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Join us and be part of a Fortune 250, farmer- and member-owned cooperative that is reimagining the business of food. We have been named a Top Workplace by Indeed and LinkedIn, and to the TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.

Benefits for most full-time roles include medical, dental, vision, PTO, life & disability insurance, education assistance, a 401k and a variety of well-being resources. Most part-time employees are eligible for prorated PTO, holiday pay, employee development programs, prorated education assistance, and a 401(k).

Land O'Lakes, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) M/F/Vets/Disabled. The company maintains a drug-free workforce, including post-employment substance abuse testing pursuant to a Drug and Alcohol Policy.

Neither Land O’Lakes, nor its search firms, will ever contact you and ask for confidential information over the phone or in email. If you receive a call or email like this, please do not provide the information being requested.