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About Flora Food Group
We offer consumers a compelling choice in four growing categories: butters and spreads, creams, liquids and cheeses. We hold leadership positions in many of the 100 countries we operate in, with iconic brands including Flora, Becel+ProActiv, Blue Band, Country Crock, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Rama, and Violife, together with our local brands and Professional business.
Global branded food champion Flora Food Group, offers the next generation of delicious, natural, nutritious food. Our products are more affordable and more sustainable than their dairy equivalents.
Position Title: Food Scientist – Pilot Plant & Production Support
Location: Hugoton, KS
Department: R&D / Technical Services
Reports To: Pilot Plant Supervisor / Senior R&D Manager
About the Role
This role supports both pilot plant operations and industrial implementation of new products. The Junior Food Scientist will assist in trial execution, data collection, and commissioning of new production lines. This candidate will also support and coordinate the collection of sales samples to ensure timely and accurate representation of new developments. The position contributes to continuous improvement initiatives and ensures hygiene, safety, and efficient operation of the experimental platform. The ideal candidate is passionate and has a strong foundation in food science / food process engineering, is hands-on, and thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced manufacturing environment.
What You’ll Do
Pilot Plant Operations
- Assist in planning and executing pilot plant trials in coordination with R&D project leads.
- Prepare platform and equipment configurations for trials.
- Manage raw material and packaging inventory for pilot activities.
- Support trial execution, including troubleshooting and post-trial cleaning (CIP).
- Collect, format, and analyze trial data from acquisition systems.
- Maintain hygiene, safety, and first-level maintenance of pilot plant equipment.
Production Support & Industrial Implementation
- Support commissioning of new production lines by verifying process parameters and product specifications.
- Collaborate with R&D, Quality, Engineering, and Operations to ensure smooth product scale-up.
- Participate in factory audits and assist in identifying optimization opportunities.
- Monitor product quality and consistency during production runs and assist in root cause analysis.
Continuous Improvement & Documentation
- Contribute to shop floor improvement initiatives focused on performance KPIs.
- Help update SOPs and maintain documentation related to pilot plant operations and safety.
- Stay current with food processing technologies and propose equipment upgrades or investments.
Training & Collaboration
- Assist in training interns and temporary staff on pilot plant procedures and safety protocols.
- Participate in team development activities and technical workshops.
- Support cross-functional collaboration for product launches and renovations.
About You
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Bioprocessing, or related field
- OR 5+ years of experience in food manufacturing operations
- Internship or academic experience in pilot plant or food manufacturing preferred
- Basic understanding of food processing equipment and hygienic design
- Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and data analysis tools
So, what does it take to be successful in this role?
What’s next
If this position sounds interesting, please hit the apply button now!
We understand your resume might not be up to date and recommend that you apply with what you have or your LinkedIn Profile. Flora Food Group is dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workplace, we understand that you might not meet all the requirements stated in the description, but we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the right candidate for this role or other roles.
Flora Food Group is an employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and equal opportunities for all. We recruit based only on values, qualifications, performance, skills, behaviours, experience, and knowledge. We ensure job advertisements are free from unintentional bias.
No personal characteristics should be a barrier to joining Flora Food Group. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or other personal characteristics.
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