Job Information
Actalent R&D Data Scientist in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Description
• Lead and coordinate the R&D activities to deliver the brand’s program.
• Lead the technical discussions in cross functional meetings and represent the R&D view for the project team to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Conduct technical risk assessments and provide recommendations on risk mitigation plans.
• Demonstrate flexibility to manage multiple priorities by adapting to daily challenges and priority changes within business environment.
• Define the technical project brief and targets against which products can be designed (performance and attributes), developed and measured. Translate the brand philosophy, culinary and operator insights into superior new products.
• Demonstrate strong formulation expertise in Cooking Aids to lead new product design and renovations with speed.
• Design and execute test protocols for the various technical aspects of projects as required (e.g., prototype development and scale-up, shelf-life testing, analytical testing, performance testing, etc.).
• Lead the process of specification/label creation in SAP PLM from initial request through approved status including lower order specifications/new ingredient specifications and artwork brief generation.
• Analyze and interpret data with guidance on final conclusions incl the ability to prepare comprehensive reports and presentations, including recommendations and next steps.
• Lead/support technical investigations using root-cause analysis and problem-solving techniques.
• Provide product expertise and insights into innovation and activation strategies. Be a product ambassador internally and externally, demonstrate awareness of operator insights and needs/behavior.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships and communicate effectively across NA and China R&D and non-R&D functions (with key business and strategic vendor partners) to support business initiatives.
• Drive the connective thread between consumer (chef/operator) needs, technical expertise, and business strategy, working across US partners in MKT, CMI and R&D.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
• Good written and oral communication skills (English and Chinese) in technical and non-technical contexts.
• Knowledge of Chinese cuisine.
• Effective in working with virtual teams.
• Pro-active self-direction with a high level of initiative and persistence and a very much hands-on approach to results delivery.
o Ability to manage complex relationships and solve complex problems.
o Passion for product development and extremely customer/consumer focus.
o Ability to identify and address emerging issues as well as set and manage priorities and continuously improve processes and practices.
o Comfort with multi-tasking and operating in a fast paced, multi-faceted, and multi-cultural environment.
o Adapting consumer/technical information to communicate results with other cross-functional team members such as marketing, Customer development, nutrition as well as others.
o Knowledge on some scientific methodologies to drive design of experiments for various products.
• Preferred Qualifications: Education: Master of Science Degree in Food Science or equivalent degree.
• Certifications or Education Requirements: Education: Master of Science Degree in Food Science or equivalent degree.
o Relevant Experience: +7 years of experience in the food industry, preferably in product development, processing, and/or project management. Experience with SAP PLM/Minerva, specification creation and approval process, demonstrated knowledge/experience especially in cooking aids technology, research experience in consumer, sensory, customer or market research (internship or graduate research experience included).
Experience Level
Expert Level
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $55.00 - $64.00/hr.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Englewood Cliffs,NJ.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Mar 16, 2026.
About Actalent
Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com (%20actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com) for other accommodation options.