Sr. Protein Applications Scientist within our Customer Technical Service team. The Sr. Protein Applications Scientist will serve as a technical leader, responsible for driving advanced protein-containing application development, shaping long-term innovation strategies, and guiding customer-centric technical solutions. This role integrates deep scientific expertise, strong business acumen, and technical leadership to influence ingredient strategy, expand application capabilities, and mentor the broader technical organization.
This position is located in
Geneva, IL, our US headquarters.
Compensation:The current salary range for this role is estimated to be $120,000-$165,000. In addition, this position may also be eligible to earn performance-based incentive compensation. The specific compensation offered to a candidate will be influenced by a variety of factors including but not limited to skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
What We Offer:- A highly collaborative team environment with ample room for exponential career growth.
- Competitive pay, annual performance bonus, comprehensive benefits, 6.2% company retirement contribution, and professional development opportunities.
- Generous paid time off and 12 annual paid company holidays.
- 12 weeks 100% paid maternity leave, and up to 4 weeks 100% paid parental leave (including adoption/surrogacy/foster care leave) for non-birthing parents.
- Student loan repayment assistance and tuition reimbursement program for select roles.
- Annual wellness benefit and wellness centered programs focused on your health needs.
What You'll Do:- Strategic Application Leadership
- Develop advanced ingredient, formulation, and process solutions to support customer needs and highlight ingredient functionality and benefits.
- Provide scientific evidence and structure-function guidance to inform ingredient positioning and product development strategies.
- Lead and coordinate complex application studies-from new ingredient innovation to range extensions.
- Innovation, IP & Technical Advancement
- Generate new product concepts, process improvements, and application innovations
- Maintain expertise in market, consumer, and category trends to inform strategic development.
- Customer Engagement & High-Impact Technical Support
- Represent the organization as a senior technical expert at customer sites, corporate events, professional forums, and trade shows.
- Support and sometimes lead customer trials-including those with high technical complexity-across internal, customer, or third-party facilities.
- Provide high-level troubleshooting and scientifically supported recommendations for customer challenges.
- Cross-Functional & Organizational Leadership
- Serve as a senior collaborator with business teams, developing strong internal and external partnerships.
- Coach, mentor, and technically develop members of the application and customer technical service community.
- Provide training for customers, sales teams, and internal stakeholders; influence organizational capability growth.
What You'll Need: Education:
- Ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. or Masters degree in Food Science or related discipline, or more extensive practical experience in food production and/or consumer packaged food product development with demonstrated scientific capability.
Experience:
- Minimum of 10-15 years experience in food applications and/or food product development.
- Experience fortifying foodstuffs with protein, preferably plant-based protein.
- Candidate will have depth in at least one of the following application categories: Specialty Nutrition Beverage (RTD/RTM), Nutrient Dense Snacking/Baking
- Preferred candidate will have additional breadth across one or more of the above or following categories: Alternative Dairy, Specialty Nutrition Bars, Confectionary
- Preferred candidate will have B to B ingredient company experience, as well as consumer packaged goods product development exposure.
Supervisory Responsibility:
- This individual will serve as a technical mentor to other members of the applications team. The preferred candidate will have people leadership experience and be open to managing 1-3 applications scientists should the organization require it.
Work Environment
- This role is on-site and spends most of the time in an office/laboratory environment
Physical Demands
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to speak or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk, climb stairs, use hands and fingers to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms; work in hot, cold and loud environments.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
- This is a full-time position. Days and flexible hours of work are required to meet facility demands.
Business Travel:
- Occasional domestic/international travel may be expected, anticipated to be less than 10-15% time.
Other Duties Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
If you identify yourself in this position, please apply by uploading your resume and let's start the journey together! 
