About Imbibe
Imbibe is a dynamic, high-growth food and beverage development company based in Niles, Illinois. We specialize in developing, creating, and manufacturing beverage flavors, ingredient systems, and finished food and beverage products. Our mission is to design ingredients with impact for the food and beverage industry.
Since our founding in 1963, Imbibe has been at the forefront of flavor innovation and product development. We offer a comprehensive range of services, including full product development, taste modulation, and finished product solutions. Our state-of-the-art campus features an Innovation Center and Pilot Plant that enable us to tackle industry-wide taste and texture challenges, ensuring that our clients receive the highest quality products.
At Imbibe, we pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to continuous improvement. Our values of collaboration, accountability, and entrepreneurship drive us to deliver exceptional results for our clients. We also believe in giving back to the community. Through various initiatives we support efforts to combat food insecurity in the Chicagoland area by donating ingredients and our time.
If you're passionate about the food and beverage industry and eager to make a meaningful impact, Imbibe is the place for you. Let's create something extraordinary together!
Summary of Position
The Senior Scientist of Taste Modulation leads and helps support the team’s efforts to accomplish several different development tasks associated with new ingredient research, development, and base modulation in sugar reduction, masking, and mouthfeel space. They collaborate with other Taste Modulation team members, Flavorists, and Product Developers, and work well in a team environment, contribute ideas and hands-on assistance, lead teams and projects, and display an equal interest in product development and research.
Essential Job Duties
- Subject matter expert in the sweetening and/or masking space, supporting complex development formulation with taste challenges.
- Assist in scoping customer project briefs as a subject matter expert, ensuring the technical feasibility.
- Scope for innovation opportunities and ensure the technical feasibility of the projects.
- Works with key team members in the innovation programs and ensures the technical feasibility of the projects.
- Directs a multi-project development portfolio and makes strong technical and strategic contributions to research and development project teams.
- Lead customer and research projects as technical lead, ensuring successful completion.
- Coordinate and manage resources to meet project timelines and other success criteria.
- Build new ingredients, technologies, and full product development formulas that will provide innovative solutions to customers and internal developers.
- Formulate complex natural sweetener systems, masking systems, and mouthfeel systems for custom projects.
- Execute proactive innovation and optimization development projects.
- Lead internal initiatives that showcase Taste Modulation innovations.
- Interacts with external customers as technical lead or as part of a core development team.
- Must work independently and balance a multi-task workload.
- Work with other internal team members including pricing, engineering, procurement, quality, operations, and marketing for successful project completion.
- Participate in team growth initiatives, providing technical input and soft skill coaching to team members.
- Lead team-focused process development initiatives.
- This role may include supervision of other teammates or management of entry to mid-level roles (typically 1-3 direct reports).
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, chemistry, biochemistry, engineering, or relevant field is required.
- 7-10 years+ in the food, beverage, ingredient, and/or flavor industry with a background in product development or applications required.
- 7 years+ experience in leading new product development projects as the key technical member on a cross-functional team
- Experience in sugar reduction, natural high-intensity sweeteners, FMPs, masking, ingredient modulation, and/or flavor science
- Successful track record and proven experience in product/process development from laboratory bench scale to successful execution & launch to market
- Ability to operate, multi-task, and shift priorities in a high-paced environment
- Aptitude for technical leadership and project management to effectively and efficiently drive a complex project
- Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, and customers
- Ability to work cross-functionally
- Strong organizational, documentation, oral and written communication skills
- Have a passion for creativity and innovation within a fast-paced environment
- Comfortable with ambiguity
- Strong problem-solving skills
- Proactive self-starter
Working Conditions
- Typical office setting for most desk work and paperwork, including use of standard office equipment.
- Typical food/beverage laboratory and pilot plant setting for all hands-on development work, including the use of standard laboratory equipment.
- Exposure to food and beverage product tastings, which may include allergens.
- Must be able to sit, stand, or remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time.
- May occasionally need to move, lift, or transport containers of ingredients weighing up to 50 lbs.
- May require travel to co-manufacturing facilities (<10% annually), where exposure to confined spaces, loud noise, excessive heat/cold, and/or wet/slippery conditions is possible.
Approximate Salary Range
$95,000—$120,000 USD
Compensation & Benefits
The salary range listed represents the expected earnings for this role. The low end of the range reflects the starting salary for candidates with less experience or qualifications that meet the basic requirements for the position. The high end of the range reflects potential earnings for candidates with extensive experience, specialized skills, or qualifications above the standard requirements for the role.
Imbibe supports employee well-being and professional growth by offering a comprehensive benefits package that includes the following:
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision care
- 401k retirement plan with company contribution and match
- FSA and HSA account
- Generous company holidays, PTO, and sick time
- Onsite gym and wellness opportunities
- Paid parental leave
- Life and disability insurance
- Learning and professional development opportunities
