Principal Thermal Processing

Nestle Operational Services Worldwide SA • $110K — $130K *

Fremont, MI 49412In-Person

Food & Beverages

8 - 10 years of experience

Today

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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Food Science, or related field; advanced degree preferred
10+ years of experience in thermal process design and validation
Strong knowledge of food safety, quality systems, and regulatory expectations
Recognized authority in thermal processing
Ability to lead and influence cross-functional, global teams
Experience translating technical expertise into scalable systems and training
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

Responsibilities

Define and improve thermal processing frameworks and validation strategies
Serve as technical authority on complex, non-standard topics
Translate emerging science and regulatory expectations into practical tools
Partner with teams to support new products with robust thermal design
Provide risk-based guidance balancing food safety and innovation
Act as Process Authority for research trials and manage FDA filings
Support audits and assessments to evaluate process design and validation

Benefits

Opportunities for global technical leadership
Collaboration with cross-functional experts
Focus on innovation and continuous improvement
Structured training and professional development
Impact on food safety and quality across the network

Full Job Description

JOB SUMMARY:

The Principal - Thermal Processing provides global technical leadership for thermal processing across the NPTC Nutrition & Health sites and upon request to Markets, and Manufacturing Sites. This role defines and drives best-in-class thermal processing frameworks, ensuring robust, consistent, and fit-for-purpose approaches for both innovation and operations. The role partners across NPTC Nutrition and Health, Quality by Design, and Nestlé Operations to enable sound technical decision-making, effective validation strategies, and scalable capability building.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical Leadership & Standards

Define and continuously improve thermal processing frameworks, including process design, validation strategies (aseptic, retort, hot-fill), and decision logic
Serve as the technical authority for complex, non-standard, or precedent-setting topics
Translate emerging science and regulatory expectations into practical tools, templates, and guidance

Innovation & Process Development

Partner with NPTC Nutrition and Health teams to ensure new products, packaging, and technologies are supported by robust thermal process design and validation
Provide risk-based guidance that balances food safety, compliance, and innovation speed
Convert learnings into scalable tools and best practices
Act as Process Authority for research trials and manage site FDA filings to support innovation

Technical Assessment & Review

Provide expert technical support during audits, food safety assessments, and site reviews across internal manufacturing sites, external manufacturers, and co-manufacturers
Assess the robustness of process design, validation approaches, and supporting technical evidence
Translate audit and assessment outcomes into system-level improvements, preventive actions, and strengthened thermal processing practices

Capability Building

Partner with the Thermal Processing Community Manager and Zone/Market experts to deploy standards consistently and strengthen technical capability across the network
Define competency expectations and contribute to structured technical training, knowledge sharing, and capability development
Develop advanced training content and support hands-on learning experiences that build practical expertise and ensure consistent application of thermal processing principles

Continuous Improvement

Identify systemic gaps through audits, deviations, and escalations
Propose improvements to tools, standards, and training architecture
Support the overall health and consistency of the thermal processing system

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Food Science, or related field (advanced degree preferred)
10+ years of experience in thermal process design and validation
Strong knowledge of food safety, quality systems, and regulatory expectations
Recognized authority in thermal processing
Demonstrated ability to lead through influence across global, cross-functional teams
Proven experience translating technical expertise into scalable systems, tools, and training
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

About Nestle Operational Services Worldwide SA

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