Food R&D Technician

The Role:

The Food R&D Technician will provide support to the R&D team by assisting in tests, projects, customer requests, & internal tastings. This individual will develop and execute work for scientists through strong communication and organization of project activities. Additionally, the individual should be able to coordinate scale-up trials with other functions in the organization and assist in trouble-shooting manufacturing issues as a member of cross-functional teams. This person will also manage lab & kitchen inventory, clean workspaces, and successfully plan & execute their day based on duties asked of them. Additional work could include assisting in all food processing and sanitation. Work at Meati Foods is faced paced and provides an exceptional amount of hands-on experience, responsibilities, and exposure.

Responsibilities:

• Understand & develop skills in all areas of Meati’s food processing steps
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential. The technician will be expected to build & develop relationships internally with operators, quality, scientists, fermentation, microbiology, engineers, marketing, and Executive team.
• Responsible for assisting scientists in projects & tests by correctly and accurately weighing ingredients, setting up tastings, asking clarifying questions, and managing freezer inventory
• Attention to detail with thorough communication in all tasks
• Responsible for occasionally maintaining shelf life samples, product cuttings, customer product inventory, and R&D ingredients
• Responsible for documenting data from a test or project in excel, word, or Meati database; communicating to test lead on outcome of data
• Attend and assist in all food processing runs. This may occasionally include work outside of normal business hours.
• Keep ingredient and product inventory in check; recording on a monthly basis of any unnecessary items, more items to order
• Keep stock of miscellaneous R&D items such as notebooks, pens, clipboards, R&D bags, kitchen utensils, tasting cups, and overall sensory & tasting area
• Maintain a clean, orderly, and hygienic workspace with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards.
• Maintain all quality standards and safety set for production at the Meati R&D facility
• Complete general cleaning tasks (sweeping, cleaning work surfaces, washing dishes, etc.)
• Order, organize, and prepare products for product sensory training sessions, when needed
• Support product release program, when needed
• Support descriptive analysis initiatives including organizing samples for shipments, setting up cuttings for reviews, and procuring necessary ingredients

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Nutrition, Food Engineering, or the equivalent
• 0-2 years experience in a Research and Development role in the Food Industry, Food Manufacturing, Quality, or something of the sort
• Team player with ability to be adaptable and flexible in a fast paced continuously changing environment
• Acute attention to detail, punctuality, and ability to catch mistakes
• Ability to prioritize tasks in a busy work environment
• Communicate effectively and demonstrate a willingness to ask questions before proceeding with uncertainty

Physical & Mental Requirements:

Must have the endurance to frequently lift and move 10-50 pounds, stand, sit, walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, do-a-barrel-roll, bend, talk, hear, see, and operate food products in a kitchen & manufacturing environment.

Successful applicants for this position must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Vaccine verification will be required prior to the start of employment at Meati.