Ice Cream Research & Development Scientist

BENEFITS

We are delighted to offer a comprehensive benefits package that encompasses Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Supplemental Insurance, Vacation, Holiday Pay, Personal Time Off (PTO), and a 401(k) plan with a company match. Eligibility and waiting periods may apply.

POSITION SUMMARY

We are seeking an innovative, self-driven Research & Development Scientist to lead the development and commercialization of ice cream, frozen dessert, and related products for new and existing customers. The role provides end-to-end technical ownership from formulation and prototype development through pilot and plant trials, scale-up, commercial launch, and post-launch performance.

The Scientist will create scalable formulations and processes; evaluate safety, sensory quality, stability, shelf life, and manufacturing performance; and troubleshoot product or process deviations. Serving as a technical interface among customers, R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Business Development, Demand Planning, and Finance, this individual will drive launch readiness, disciplined execution, and continuous improvement in a state-of-the-art ice cream operation.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, DUTIES, AND PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES: Formulation & Product Development Develop and optimize formulations for bulk ice cream, frozen novelties, frozen desserts, dry ice cream blends, and liquid bases against customer, nutrition, cost, ingredient, processing, and performance requirements. Use Tech.

Wizard and other tools to develop recipes, calculate nutritional composition, evaluate ingredient functionality, and confirm compliance with product requirements. Translate customer concepts into technically feasible, manufacturable, and commercially scalable products. Design and evaluate laboratory and pilot prototypes, optimizing formulations using analytical, processing, sensory, and stability results.

Recommend formulation changes, ingredient substitutions, or alternate solutions based on ingredient functionality and interactions. Assess microbiological safety, physical stability, shelf life, sensory quality, overrun, texture, melt characteristics, and application-specific performance. Process Development, Scale-Up & Commercialization Lead projects from laboratory development through pilot and plant trials, first commercial production, and transition to routine manufacturing.

Develop and optimize batching, mixing, hydration, heat treatment, freezing, inclusion addition, filling, hardening, packaging, and related process parameters. Evaluate compatibility with HTST, batching, freezing, novelty, filling, packaging, and other manufacturing systems. Define critical formulation and process parameters required for consistent commercial-scale quality.

Develop scale-up protocols and provide technical leadership during trials, first production runs, and commercialization. Analyze trial and production results, resolve scale-up issues, and transfer approved formulas, specifications, and process requirements to Manufacturing and Quality. Product Launch & Post-Launch Performance Confirm launch readiness of formulations, raw materials, specifications, process parameters, testing requirements, documentation, and production instructions.

Monitor initial production and post-launch performance against quality, sensory, stability, and customer expectations. Investigate deviations and manufacturing issues, determine root causes, and implement formulation or process improvements. Evaluate package integrity, seal performance, and package-product interactions during trials, production, and post-launch investigations.

Partner with Manufacturing and Quality to resolve recurring issues and improve product robustness, consistency, and manufacturing performance. Capture post-launch learnings and incorporate them into future formulations, specifications, scale-up practices, and development standards. Documentation, Specifications & Compliance Maintain accurate, organized, and traceable formulations, trial protocols, process parameters, test results, specifications, and commercialization records.

Manage project files using established naming, document-control, access, and information-security practices. Ensure product designs comply with applicable regulations, labeling, food-safety, customer, and internal requirements. Review ingredient composition, nutritional information, specifications, COAs, quality certificates, and supporting technical documents.

Support qualification of new materials, alternate suppliers, and ingredient substitutions through technical evaluation and product testing. Archive project data, troubleshooting history, commercialization learnings, and scale-up insights for future use. Cross-Functional & Customer Collaboration Serve as a technical liaison among R&D, customers, Business Development, Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Demand Planning, Finance, and other stakeholders.

Translate customer needs into clear formulation, processing, testing, specification, and manufacturing requirements. Communicate technical opportunities, risks, trial outcomes, and recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences. Partner with Procurement on ingredient sourcing, qualification, substitutions, inventory planning, and material readiness.

Complete effective technical and knowledge transfer to Manufacturing, Quality, and other relevant teams before commercialization. Participate in customer discussions and proactively address risks affecting launch timing, product quality, manufacturing efficiency, or customer expectations. Project Management & Execution Manage multiple customer and internal projects with clear priorities, milestones, deliverables, responsibilities, and commercialization timelines.

Plan and coordinate formulation, prototype evaluation, testing, pilot and plant trials, scale-up, commercialization, and post-launch follow-up. Coordinate laboratory, pilot plant, Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, and commercial activities for efficient project execution. Mentor and provide technical direction to R&D technicians and supporting personnel.

Develop and improve scale-up procedures, technical templates, commercialization checklists, tracking systems, and knowledge-management tools. Use project-management tools to track progress, communicate risks, document decisions, and maintain speed to market without compromising technical rigor. Technical Ownership & Continuous Improvement Maintain technical ownership of assigned products from initial development through commercialization and post-launch stabilization.

Monitor product and process performance to improve quality, consistency, manufacturability, yield, cost, and operational efficiency. Use production observations, analytical and sensory results, customer feedback, and quality trends to drive optimization. Lead or support root-cause investigations involving ingredients, formulation, processing, packaging, or finished-product performance.

Apply commercial production learnings to future development and scale-up practices to improve speed to market, manufacturing robustness, and first-time-right commercialization. POSITION SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS: Education: Bachelor's or master's degree in dairy science, food science, chemical technology, food or chemical engineering, or a related field.

Experience: Six or more years of relevant experience with a bachelor's degree, or three or more years with a master's degree. Prior ice cream industry experience, particularly in developing and commercializing bulk, novelty, and dry ice cream blend products, is preferred. Physical Requirements: Flexible working hours, especially during production trials.

Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs. Ability to walk production areas and stand for extended periods. Ability to use stairs and ladders as needed. Working Conditions: Subject to office and plant conditions. Exposure to production noise, cold rooms, freezer areas, and moving equipment. If you’re excited about this opportunity, we invite you to apply by visiting our website at www.

idahomilkproducts.com