• Principal Scientist
• Food Innovation
• Science & Research Elgin, Illinois, US + Added
• 10/08/2026

Pay Rate Low:

100000 |

Pay Rate High:

120000

• Principal Scientist
• Food Innovation (Enzymes)

• Location:

• Greater Chicago Area
• Direct Hire
• $100K
• 120K
• Our client is seeking a
• Principal Scientist
• to lead R D initiatives focused on enzyme technologies and food applications. This is a hands-on scientific leadership role responsible for developing innovative ingredient solutions, supporting product commercialization, and serving as a technical subject matter expert.

• Key Responsibilities:

• + Lead R D programs focused on enzyme-based food applications and innovative product development + Execute hands-on laboratory research and bench-scale experimentation, with approximately 75% of the role spent in the lab + Design and execute experiments, formulation studies, and product development projects from concept through commercialization + Develop novel enzyme blends and food applications designed to support revenue growth and market expansion + Conduct laboratory and pilot-scale trials with internal teams, customers, co-packers, and external research partners + Identify new product opportunities through customer engagement, market research, industry trends, and conferences + Partner with Sales and Marketing as a technical resource to support customer projects, business development, and technical marketing initiatives + Provide technical expertise and support to existing and prospective customers + Lead high-level technical presentations for internal stakeholders, customers, and industry conferences + Collaborate with universities, food research institutes, and external R D organizations on joint innovation initiatives + Contribute technical data and scientific research to support intellectual property and patent development + Supervise, mentor, and develop laboratory personnel and multidisciplinary scientific teams + Oversee laboratory operations, equipment maintenance, safety, 5S practices, and quality standards + Maintain accurate laboratory documentation and ensure compliance with GMP, SQF, food safety, and corporate quality requirements + Collaborate with global R D teams to share scientific insights and support consistent research initiatives •

Qualifications:

• + PhD in Food Science, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or a related scientific discipline (MS with significant industry R D leadership experience may be considered) + 3+ years of progressive R D experience in food, enzymes, or applied biotechnology + Strong knowledge of enzyme functionality and applications within food systems + Experience with industrial enzyme applications strongly preferred + Proven experience developing and commercializing food products, ingredient technologies, or enzyme-based applications + Hands-on laboratory research and experimental design experience + Experience with analytical techniques such as GC, HPLC, spectrophotometry, or chromatography + Experience leading, mentoring, or supervising scientific personnel preferred + Experience with customer-facing technical support, presentations, or cross-functional R D projects preferred + Strong scientific reasoning, problem-solving, communication, and strategic thinking skills + Ability to manage multiple priorities while balancing hands-on laboratory research with strategic and administrative responsibilities This job description is a complete list of all desired skills, but not all are required.

We strongly encourage candidates who have some of the skills to apply. We look forward to a conversation to learn more about you! INDBH \#LI-KM1We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.