Principal Scientist, Technical Services

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Have a seat at our table. When you join Smithfield, you become part of something special – a company that's sustainably feeding people around the world, producing good food the right way with respect for our people, animals, communities and planet. With opportunities across locations and functions, a culture grounded in our Core Four values - gratitude, communication, respect and accountability - and a strong commitment to learning, collaboration, and innovation, Smithfield offers challenging and rewarding careers where you can grow, contribute and make a real impact. Apply Now!

Your Opportunity

Are you an ambitious, enthusiastic leader with a desire to drive to the green in achieving goals and producing good food, responsibly for families across America? If so, then join one of the country’s top consumer packaged goods companies, Smithfield Foods!  This leadership role in technical services will focus on product and process improvements to deliver improvements across our manufacturing platforms.  Responsibilities include providing technical support to our business partners, direct interaction with customer, leveraging vendors, and mentorship.

Responsibilities

Product and Process Improvements

• Primary focus will be within the plants to achieve operational excellence and continuous improvements

• Travel up to 80% of the time to meet with business partners

• Work with cross functional groups to identify operational needs pertaining to operational excellence: safety, cost, quality, customer service, production efficiencies, etc.

• Develop and execute research plans by conducting production scale tests at manufacturing plants to achieve specific goals and objectives

Prevent Process Deviations and Quality Failures

• Proactively work to prevent process or product failures

• Work within our operational framework of On the Job Trainers (OJT) to establish job aids and training documents

• Develop plans within our operational framework of MIQ to establish process controls

Project Progress Updates and Feedback

• You will also be responsible for designing and conducting experiments, analyzing data, writing protocols and summaries, and presenting your findings and recommendations to executive leadership

• Regularly present progress updates to members of Technical Services, Operations, Sales, Marketing, and Quality Assurance

• Communicate with external parties such as customers, vendors, and third parties

Leadership and Mentorship

• Drive organizational capability by developing, nurturing, leading and mentoring junior team members.

• Help identifying emerging leaders, driving investments in new talent, and ensuring high levels of employee engagement across the group

• Stay up-to-date on the latest advances in food science and technology

• Provide leadership and mentorship to individuals within organization

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. May perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Food Science, Meat Science, or related field and 12+ years of experience in the food industry; preference towards meat; or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.

• 5+ years’ experience in a position of leadership to include working in teams and mentorship

• Solid understanding of end-to-end processes of meat packing to solve complex problems and develop innovative solutions

• Excellent writing, interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal)

• Demonstrate organizational, time management, and multi-tasking skills to manage and deliver projects on time

• Work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment

• Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• On a regular basis required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms.

• Occasionally required to stoop and crouch under equipment.

• Lift and/or move up to 50 pound or more in some

• The plant environment will include wet or humid conditions (non-weather related), extreme cold and heat (non-weather related), working near moving mechanical parts, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, and chemicals.

The expected pay range for this position is $140,000 - $182,500 annually.

Smithfield Foods provides pay ranges that reflect its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the company reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of hire. Individual compensation will be determined based on several factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, location of the position, the candidate’s qualifications and experience, internal equity, external market pay for comparable positions and budget considerations. At Smithfield Foods, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive total rewards package. Learn more about our benefits package here.

Relocation Package Available Yes

EEO Information

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non-job characteristic as directed by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595.