R&D Associate Scientist at PepsiCo in Valhalla, NY

Summary: PepsiCo is a leading global food and beverage company, and they are seeking an R&D Associate Scientist to participate in the development of products in the non-sparkling, Holistic Nutrition category. The role involves conducting product development lab work, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and applying food science knowledge to optimize product designs based on consumer feedback. Responsibilities: - Perform all activities in a safe manner and within the context of all PepsiCo safety protocols, maintaining GMP in laboratory, pilot plant, and factory settings - Conduct and document product development lab work, including development of bench top prototypes, implementation and maintenance of stability testing, and pilot plant/commercial scale-up trials - Accurately prepare laboratory beverages and concentrates and submit samples for analytical and sensory evaluation - Create and ensure accuracy of product specification documents - Possess ability to conduct experiments, analyze data and make recommendations to address technical challenges - Good communication skills, both verbal and written, including timely and accurate documentation of work in laboratory notebooks and active communication of status of research - Demonstrate ability to understand application of consumer research and experimental design to project objectives - Participate as an active member of cross-functional business teams comprised of individuals from a variety of disciplines, including Marketing, Supply Chain, Engineering, and others - Partner with R&D disciplines such as Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Nutrition, and Regulatory to ensure a robust, safe and legal product design - Partner externally to source ingredients and leverage vendor expertise Required Qualifications: - B.S. in Food Science, Food Engineering, or related discipline - Outstanding teamwork, communication, and leadership skills - Ability to analyze and communicate implications of emerging consumer trends - Proven track record in maintaining good working relationships with business partners - Occasional flexibility in working hours to setup and complete focus groups, product expos, pilot plant scaleups, or plant trials that may extend past typical working hours - Intellectual curiosity and ability to think critically & analytically - Strong communication and presentation skills (verbal and written) - Ability to provide thought leadership on tactical aspects of projects - Ability to self-initiate and manage multiple project tasks independently to meet business objectives and to support the individuals of the workgroup - Outstanding time management, team working and communication skills - Ability to analyze and communicate implications of experimental results - Strong commitment to working safely and maintaining a safe work environment - Ability to flawlessly execute laboratory bench work and pilot-plant scale-ups - Must be well-organized, capture work details and learning and highlight any unexpected learning - Must possess ability to work successfully in cross-functional teams - Good communication skills, both verbal and written, including timely and accurate documentation of work in laboratory notebooks and active communication of status of research - Demonstrate ability to understand application of consumer research and experimental design to project objectives - Participate as an active member of cross-functional business teams comprised of individuals from a variety of disciplines, including Marketing, Supply Chain, Engineering, and others - Partner with R&D disciplines such as Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Nutrition, and Regulatory to ensure a robust, safe and legal product design - Partner externally to source ingredients and leverage vendor expertise - Computer Skills: MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, One Note; Project a plus) Required Skills: Food Science, Food Engineering, Product Development, Laboratory Prototyping, Stability Testing, Pilot Plant Scale-up, Analytical Evaluation, Sensory Evaluation, Product Specification Documentation, Experimental Design, Data Analysis, Consumer Research Application, Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Nutrition, Regulatory Compliance, MS Office, Self-initiation, Cross-functional Team Collaboration, Project Management Benefits: Paid time off subject to eligibility, including paid parental leave, vacation, sick, and bereavement., Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Health, and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Insurance (Accident, Group Legal, Life), Defined Contribution Retirement Plan.