Product Development Scientist

General description This role develops new beverages and improves existing ones across the SSP portfolio, from lab bench to first production run. The work covers concentrates, syrups, lemonades, juices, coffee, frozen beverages and dry blends (powdered beverage mixes) for foodservice, convenience and private label customers. The scientist works closely with Sales, Quality, Operations, Procurement and plant R&D leads to deliver products that taste right, run well in the plant and meet cost targets. Key responsibilities Product development Formulate new beverages, concentrates, syrups and dry blends from concept through commercialization. Develop consumer-centered formulas that meet customer specs for flavor, appearance, texture and shelf life. Prepare bench samples and lead tastings and sensory evaluations with internal teams and customers. Match customer targets and competitive products, and work live with customers in the lab when needed. Reformulation, cost savings and optimization Reformulate existing products to reduce cost while protecting flavor, quality and consumer preference. Support MAHA projects, including converting products from artificial to natural colors while matching color, stability and shelf life. Support company cost-savings initiatives, including ingredient and flavor cost reduction. Evaluate alternate ingredients and suppliers, working with Procurement on samples and pricing. Technical work and documentation Design and run experiments; analyze data and make clear technical recommendations. Run shelf-life, stability and accelerated studies, and track results to decision. Keep complete, current bench records and formula files in company systems, so any product can be reproduced by another team member. Prepare formula and specification documents for new item setup (SAP, NIS/Pimcore) and labeling review. Commercialization and plant support Scale formulas from bench to pilot to production, and support first production runs and line trials at SSP plants and co-manufacturers. Transfer formulas and specifications to Quality and Operations, and train plant teams for smooth launches. Help Operations and Quality resolve ingredient, formula and process issues, and manage product and process changes. Customer and project support Support Sales with technical product information, samples and process capability, with guidance from the Sr. Product Development Manager. Manage multiple projects at once, keeping plans, timelines and status current in the project tracker (Monday.com). Communicate technical risks early, with options and a recommendation. Track beverage trends and emerging ingredients, and bring new ideas to the team. Experience requirements 0–2 years in beverage or food R&D or new product development R&D internship or co-op experience Beverage, concentrate or dairy/coffee formulation experience preferred Exposure to scale-up, plant trials or co-manufacturing preferred Education requirements BS in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or a related field (required; Food Science strongly preferred) Culinary training or credentials (preferred) PCQI, HACCP or Better Process Control School certification (preferred, or completed within the first year) Skills and working conditions Skills and competencies Strong sensory skills and a good palate for flavor matching Careful, organized lab practice and documentation Clear written and verbal communication with customers and cross-functional teams Problem solving, self-starting and a passion to learn Works well under deadlines and handles several projects at once Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Office; SAP experience a plus Working conditions Lab-based in Houston, with time on production floors Travel up to 15–20% to SSP plants, co-manufacturers and customers Able to lift up to 50 lb and stand for extended periods Some early, late or weekend hours to support plant trials and production runs