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R&D Scientist II - Blue Buffalo Pet Food

The Blue Buffalo Wet Applications team has an opening for a Research & Development Scientist / Engineer II within Innovation, Technology and Quality. In this role, you will have the unique opportunity to impact Blue Buffalo by leveraging your knowledge and skills to support all aspects of the product development cycle with emphasis on renovation, innovation, and holistic margin management (HMM) across the wet portfolio. You will participate in concept development, product formulation, and process development to enable the pet business to win in the marketplace.
 
A successful candidate for this role will leverage technical skills and knowledge, excel at collaboration in a cross-functional team environment, have a passion for pets, a results-focused mindset, and learning agility. You will have the opportunity to develop technical depth, project management and communication skills, and build business acumen to influence across the organization. 
 
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
  • Collaborate with business teams and external partners to identify opportunities for innovation, product improvements or cost improvements by challenging assumptions
  • Lead the development of great tasting, wholesome and nutritious wet petfood products that delight pets and pet parents
  • Manage and lead multiple technically complex projects from creation through commercialization by prioritizing work, coaching, and influencing others
  • Create technical plans, timelines, risk assessments, and mitigation plans so you may execute product commercialization efficiently and with excellence
  • Independently consult, design, and manage the appropriate testing required to meet business needs, enhance foundational knowledge and/or deliver bottom line cost savings
  • Navigate the General Mills and Blue Buffalo matrix to efficiently vet ideas and complete initial feasibility assessments as you scale-up from bench to pilot plant to production
  • Communicate effectively with marketing and business team partners to influence pipeline and strategy
 
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Animal Science, Meat Science, Food Engineering or related field
  • 3+ years of product development and project leadership experience
  • Willingness to travel up to ~ 20%
  • Strong technical problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills
  • Ability to challenge assumptions and build robust technical plans to test hypotheses
  • Results-oriented mindset with strong bias for action and high regard for quality of work
  • Interpersonal ability to build relationships at all levels with an organization, both internal and external
 
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Masters and/or Ph.D. in Food Science, Animal Science, Meat Science, Food Engineering or related field
  • Demonstrated ability to lead and manage multiple complex, large-scale technical projects from concept to commercialization
  • Wet pet food formulation and/or processing experience
  • Strong leadership and strategic thinking mindset
  • Adaptability and Flexibility