Job Title:  Associate Scientist - Implementation & Support

Relocation Assistance Offered Within Country
# 149480 - Topeka, Kansas, United States

At Hill’s we have a purpose. Every day around the world, we transform the lives of millions of pet families through pioneering innovation, amazing nutrition, and the best and brightest people. If you’re interested in work that matters, fueled by passion for pets, we invite you to apply!

The Associate Scientist I&S - Ingredients plays a key role in the Implementation and Support team. This position will have primary responsibility for ingredient and formulation testing for use in pet food products, engage in cost savings initiatives, engage in ingredient reliability and sustainability discussions internal and external, and lead trouble-shooting initiatives with manufacturing plants. In addition, this position will provide primary support for product support teams, engage in cross-functional interactions with procurement, quality, co-manufacturing, regulatory, and network operations.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Support implementation of company’s technology goals by developing products from bench top to commercialization.
• Partner with Net-Ops and Quality, to complete root-cause analysis of operational and/or product issues and implement optimal solutions, including alternate supplier qualifications.
• Engage in technical and cross functional project teams.
• Fundamental food science and processing knowledge shall be applied for optimum ingredient and finished product functionality and nutrition.
• Transform nutrient standards of ingredients and formulations to meet finished product functional, regulatory, and cost standards.
• Coordinate all documents that support the approval and maintenance of Hill’s ingredient portfolio.
• Team with vendors and manufacturing to establish and update ingredient shelf life, storage, and handling.
• Conduct biological and feeding tests to ensure product and ingredient acceptability with the pet.
• Partner with process engineers and manufacturing for synergy in ingredient handling and conveyance within process development.

Education/ Experience Requirements:

Basic qualifications include: 

• BS or BA degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related technical or scientific field.
• At least 1 year of work experience in product design and development in the food industry.
• Working knowledge of nutritional science.
• Excellent interpersonal and team skills; ability to communicate and influence and thrive in a cross-functional environment. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and conceptual skills.
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral).

Preferred qualifications include:

• MS in Food Science, Nutrition, Biological Sciences, Food Engineering, or related technical or scientific field.
• Relevant experience scaling ingredients and products from pilot to plant scale.
• Experience with thermal processing effects on ingredient functionality during processing, over shelf life, and within finished products.
• Relevant work experience in project management and / or project engineering.
• Experience in developing sole source nutritional products in pet food, infant nutrition, or adult medical nutrition.

Expected areas of skills: 

• Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision and manage multiple projects
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills
• Strong organizational and planning skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Be able to meet scheduled deadlines
• Work within a project team environment
• Overall computer skills competency; Google Suite, Excel, SAP, Concept 5

Salary Range $56,000 - $81,480 USD
Pay is based on several non discriminatory factors including but not limited to experience, education, skills and office location. In addition to your salary, Colgate-Palmolive offers a
performance based bonus and competitive benefits package.

#LI-Hybrid

Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Are you interested in working for Hill's Pet Nutrition? You can apply online and attach all relevant documents such as a cover letter and resume or CV. Applications received by e-mail are not considered in the selection process. Become part of our team. We look forward to your application.

Work that matters, fueled by passion for pets!  At Hill’s we have a purpose.  Every day around the world, we transform the lives of millions of pet families through pioneering innovation, amazing nutrition, and the best and brightest people. Founded more than 75 years ago with an unwavering commitment to pet nutrition, Hills' mission is to help enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets. 

HILL'S® Prescription Diet® therapeutic pet foods, HILL'S® Science Diet® and HILL'S® Ideal Balance™ wellness pet foods are sold worldwide. Hill’s is a division of Colgate-Palmolive, a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, with sales of products in more than 200 countries.  To learn more about Hill's and Colgate, please visit http://www.hillspet.com and http://www.colgatepalmolive.com, or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please contact Application_Accommodation@colpal.com with the subject "Accommodation Request" should you require accommodation.