Sr Sci, R&D - Packaging Dev

Senior Scientist, Packaging R&D – Meat, Cheese, Coffee, and Snacking

This Senior Scientist Packaging R&D role provides packaging leadership across innovation, renovation, productivity, ESG, and maintenance initiatives across the MCCS (Meats, Cheese, Coffee, Snacking) platform. This role is responsible for identifying, scoping, and leading technical packaging projects that support business priorities from concept through commercialization. The ideal candidate brings strong technical depth, sound scientific judgment, and a track record of independently driving packaging work plans to deliver results. This includes understanding business needs, consumer needs, designing and executing tests, analyzing data, translating findings into recommendations, documenting technical work, communicating clearly with cross-functional partners, and supporting successful commercialization. Strong leadership, collaboration, and communication skills are essential, along with the ability to apply packaging principles and prior learning to new products, processes, and challenges.

Key components of the role

- Lead the MCCS packaging productivity pipeline (~25% of role), including pipeline governance, prioritization, and delivery of cost/sustainability/value initiatives

- Serve as the packaging lead across multiple projects spanning business product categories

- Identify technical risks, define work plans, and drive packaging activities from concept through qualification and commercialization

- Partner cross-functionally with Product R&D, Operations, Quality, Procurement, and other stakeholders to advance business initiatives

- Understand the consumer and partner with CIS (Consumer Insights & Strategy) to inform packaging decisions

- Design, execute, and interpret packaging tests in laboratory and production environments

- Translate technical findings into clear recommendations, business implications, and next steps

- Create, update, and maintain detailed technical documentation and packaging specifications

- Manage multiple assignments concurrently and prioritize effectively across competing business needs

- Apply scientific and packaging principles to new products, materials, processes, and technical challenges

Qualifications