R&D Food Scientist - Coffee Processing

Our client, a global leader in the ingredients manufacturing space, is seeking an R&D Scientist to support innovation and process development within coffee systems. This role focuses on optimizing coffee processing technologies, including roasting, extraction, and drying, while supporting product development from concept through commercialization.

This is a highly technical, hands-on role ideal for someone with deep process knowledge and experience translating pilot and lab learnings into scalable manufacturing solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development and optimization of coffee processing technologies, including roasting, extraction, and drying systems
• Design and execute lab-scale and pilot plant trials to evaluate processing parameters and product outcomes
• Analyze the relationship between processing conditions and key attributes such as flavor, aroma, yield, and stability
• Support scale-up and commercialization efforts by collaborating closely with manufacturing and engineering teams
• Troubleshoot process-related challenges, including variability in raw materials, process efficiency, and product consistency
• Partner cross-functionally with product development, quality, and operations teams to ensure feasible and scalable solutions
• Evaluate new technologies and processing approaches to drive innovation in coffee applications
• Maintain detailed documentation of experimental design, results, and technical learnings

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 3-7+ years of experience in coffee, beverage, or related food processing R&D
• Hands-on experience with coffee processing technologies such as roasting, extraction, and/or drying
• Strong understanding of how processing impacts flavor development, product quality, and consistency
• Experience working in lab, pilot plant, and/or manufacturing environments
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple technical projects simultaneously
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills

Preferred Experience

• Knowledge of extraction techniques and process optimization for yield and flavor
• Familiarity with scaling processes from pilot to full production
• Exposure to continuous improvement or process optimization methodologies