R&D Scientist II - Pet Nutrition Technology Research - Golden Valley, MN

JOB OVERVIEW:

Our highly technical and innovative Pet Nutrition Technology team is growing to include scientists focused on nutrition research, new claims, and the development of new nutritional technologies. Our Blue Buffalo's Pet Nutrition Technology team is responsible for bringing new product innovation to market across our premium wellness and therapeutic product portfolios that help transform the lives of pets.

As a Scientist II in our Research and Development organization, you will be responsible for the execution of research studies on the efficacy and benefits of foods, conducting research studies on new technologies/ingredients, and generating new claims, as well as submitting Invention records and patents to secure industry-leading differentiation.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identify & Develop New Technology
  • Identify and evaluate new technologies that enhance current products and/or create best-in-class new products
  • Build an innovation pipeline of technology to accelerate growth and product positioning
  • Conduct efficacy research on new ingredients or technologies under evaluation
  • Develop new methodologies for testing and proving claims efficacy
• Maintain Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory Standards
  • Ensure that all company product and testing requirements are met
  • Work closely with technical and quality assurance personnel to ensure that product specifications are met and appropriate to desired product attributes
  • Evaluate new raw materials for nutrient values, food safety, palatability, and digestibility
• Exceptional Business Partner
  • Present technical data to external scientific, veterinary, and business audiences
  • Work with cross-functional teams to understand new data and claims on existing and new products
  • Help teach and train business partners on pet food and companion animal nutrition requirements
• Outside-In Mindset
  • Submit scientific findings for publication (scientific abstracts, peer-reviewed manuscripts)
  • Identify intellectual property opportunities (trade secrets or patents) to give the company a competitive advantage.
  • Keep up to date with industry trends by networking with the technical community and attending meetings/conventions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in Companion Animal Nutrition or related nutrition field with 2+ years of experience in pet food research, study design, formula design, stability studies, palatability studies, and the establishment of ingredient and finished product specifications, OR Ph.D in Companion Animal Nutrition or Animal Science
• Experience with Concept-5 and Multi-Step formulation software or other formulation programs
• Working knowledge of pet food manufacturing processes and operations
• Experience with pilot plant trials and research study design
• Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Advanced degree (PhD) in companion animal nutrition or animal nutrition
• Firsthand experience with manufacturing systems of all pet food types
• Formulation experience working with all forms of pet food (dry, canned, treats, fresh, etc.) a plus.
• Hands-on experience in working with external partners, including 3rd party co-manufacturers, suppliers, associations, universities, etc.
• Involvement in industry organizations and meetings
• Pet parent

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

• Applicants for this position must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis, and General Mills will not sponsor applicants for this position for work visas.
• This role is open to relocation, but international relocation and remote assignments will not be considered.

Salary Range

The salary range for this position is $70100.00 - $105200.00 / Annually. At General Mills we strive for each employee's pay at any point in their career to reflect their experiences performance and skills for their current role. The salary range for this role represents the numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to, educations, skills, work experience, certifications, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range. Beyond base salary, General Mills offers a competitive Total Rewards package focusing on your overall well-being. We are proud to offer a foundation of health benefits, retirement and financial wellbeing, time off programs, wellbeing support and perks. Benefits may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors. You may also be eligible to participate in an annual incentive program. An incentive award, if any, depends on various factors, including, individual and organizational performance.

Reasonable Accommodation Request

If you need to request an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please fill out our online accommodations request form by following this link: Accommodations Request.