R & D - Food Scientist

Overview

Grecian Delight | Kronos Food (GDK) stands at the forefront as a premier provider of authentic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. Our portfolio includes gyros, specialty meats, pitas, flatbreads, tzatziki, hummus, spreads, falafel, ready-to-eat and plant-based proteins, and value-added bakery products. We serve over 400 food service distributors, 30,000 independent and national chain restaurants, and have a presence in the top 40 U.S. retailers, reflecting our commitment to quality and authenticity.

Our Vision:
Continue to be the leader in Greek, Mediterranean and inspired world cuisine. We strive to have every table or menu in the world serving up our delicious flavors.

Our Mission:
To be top of mind with our customers as the preferred and trusted company of choice, by delivering mutual value, and acting with a sense of urgency.

Our Guiding Principles:
Customer Centricity;
Ownership and Empathy;
Conscious leadership;
Competitive Spirit. We seek individuals who resonate with these core values to maintain our legacy of excellence and innovation.

Grecian Delight | Kronos Food is seeking an experienced Food Scientist for our Elk Grove Village location. As our Food Scientist you will be responsible for leading meat product development (beef, pork, poultry), plant-based protein, and hummus/dips/spreads product development; develop new formulas, processing procedures and specifications for new products, product enhancements and cost reductions.

• Lead multiple development projects with an emphasis on meat protein, plant-based protein and sauces, both new products and improvements of current products.
• Assume technical leadership of assigned projects from concept development through successful commercialization. Recommend new product concepts to take to development.
• Investigate product and process challenges, provide creative solutions, and solve challenges in development and commercialization.
• Work cross functionally (Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Purchasing) to determine equipment, materials and processes necessary to produce products to maximize capacity and optimize quality and differentiation.
• Identify and complete technical study of ingredients, suppliers, co-packers relevant to meeting project objectives and company standards.
• Assure technically sound sensory panels are conducted for product development, shelf-life studies, improving/maintaining present products and competitive testing.
• Identify and make recommendations for process improvements using scientific techniques, design experimentation to improve formulation, process, or equipment to deliver finished products that meet defined internal and external customer parameters.
• Familiarize and evaluate competitive products in the marketplace to determine market opportunities for new products and application recommendations for current products.
• Provide raw material information and formulas to regulatory personnel to create nutritional and products analysis, and nutritional fact panels.

• BS or MS degree in Food Science or related area with at least 3-5 years of product development experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• Previous USDA meat protein product development experience.
• Experience working with Esha Genesis or equivalent nutritional program is a plus.
• Experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• In-depth experience in ingredients, flavors, and their functionalities.
• Experience in vendor/supplier contact for ingredients selection desirable.
• Strong technical knowledge.
• Ability to establish credibility with others.
• Solid written and verbal communication skills at all organizational levels.
• Ability to perform multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.
• Computer Skills including Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook).

At Grecian Delight | Kronos Food, we understand that fulfilling our mission involves a blend of innovation and reverence for tradition—a challenge that demands exceptional dedication from our team. We are committed to supporting our employees with a respectful work environment, fair compensation, and opportunities for professional growth. Our community standards are built on equal employment opportunities, respectful dialogue and actions, integrity, and accountability.

• Highly competitive compensation and bonus programs
• Medical, Dental and Vision options for you and your family
• Safe-harbor 401(k) Plan with generous matching and immediate vesting
• Life, AD&D, Short and Long-term Disability Programs
• Health, Dependent Care, & Commuter Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Account Contributions
• Additional Voluntary Benefit Programs
• Paid Vacations and Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Target Compensation: $80,000 - $100,000, Bonus Potential: 10%

Grecian Delight | Kronos Food Corp is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, marital status, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic…