Job Summary:

This an R&D position intended to coordinate the expertise development in food prototyping (in Alternate Protein area) with exploration of food chemistry/biochemistry, thereby addressing the utilization and functionality of Kalsec ingredient offerings to food industry and our customers. The primary role of this position is to develop a deeper understanding of food matrices with a variety of existing and
emerging proteins and translate that to applied knowledge with deliverables as
food prototypes, process, intellectual property, and coordinate internal and external customer support initiatives and training activities.

Specific Job Functions:

1. To develop new protein concepts by working with customers, marketing,
   and internal application & product development teams.
2. Use expertise in chemistry to characterize protein-based food matrices,
   thereby aiding in application/food process or novel ingredient development for this sector as well, especially research development projects utilizing Food Protection, Colors, and Taste Solutions products from Kalsec.
3. Continue to learn process chemistry and food science skills and participate on
   scale ups of new products and processes and become a liaison for external collaborators in the alternate protein space.
4. Strive to be a resource in the emerging Protein field with focused efforts on
   finetuning Kalsec offering for this category and designing tools/modules for
   training scientists and commercial teams.

Essential Job Functions:

1. Serve as an independent investigator, planning, designing, and conducting experiments and associated research activities directed toward identified, strategic business opportunities. Expectations:

• Work independently on assignments using knowledge and work experience. Proactively gather input from colleagues to assist in attaining business objectives.
• Operate as a competent scientist with broad expertise and with growing scientific contributions, as well as develop a support system of cross-functional teams, including R&D.
• Perform activities that may result in the creation of novel processes, analyses, and hypotheses using new ideas and knowledge with input from supervision. These activities may also produce new intellectual property or may optimize existing analytical techniques for the business.
• Make decisions that require developing new options to solve moderately complex problems. Decisions impact projects worth > $500,000.
• Learn new scientific concepts independently and review scientific literature to enhance job knowledge.
• Apply technical and functional knowledge to design experiments and independently complete work within own project team, working on multiple sub-projects in parallel. Participate in departmental and company-wide project work. Supervision may provide guidance on overall goals and designs.
• May train other scientists and technicians in various techniques.

1. Carefully record experimental observations in a laboratory notebook kept in a sufficient manner to protect Kalsec’s intellectual property rights.
2. Prepare detailed reports, with supervisor’s review, that describe research efforts, and when appropriate, present research results to scientific conferences, customers, Kalsec staff and/or other groups.
3. Transition promising research work into the application concept development featuring Kalsec Solutions.
4. Maintain a safe and clean work area, complying with corporate safety and environmental policies.
5. Participate in training programs deemed necessary to either develop job skills and laboratory capabilities or meet company policies and directives.
6. Be aware of the company’s Q.A. policy and objectives, strictly observing these policy provisions in the fulfillment of this job.
7. Serve as a mentor to Kalsec staff, including occasional leading, guiding and training of staff, student employees, interns, and/or others performing related work. Maintain up to date working knowledge of Kalsec’s processes and manufacturing capabilities.
8. Develop and acquire extensive product knowledge and experience to troubleshoot product/ process problems, investigate customer concerns, develop new processes as needed to meet customer specific needs, and recommend correction of non-compliant materials.
9. Support/maintain/contribute to Protein Innovation Team activities-including R&D, external customer, innovation partners, and professional outreach initiatives.

Education/Experience/Skills:

Required:

• Minimum M.S. with 5-7 years relevant experience OR equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Food science/food chemistry background.
• Protein food-based formulation experience in industry/research projects, either in alternate meats, and/or alternate dairy products, or similar categories.
• Familiarity with food concept/product development and application testing.
• Demonstrated presentation skills.
• Willingness to work on various protein matrices, including animal-derived, and sensory valuation thereof

Desired:

• Protein Chemistry related analytical techniques
• Project Management skills and experience