• Dairy marketing cooperative owned by 2,000 farm families and managed by its 1,200 employees. 

The Sr. Scientist – Research & Development will lead and manage the successful development, scale-up, and maintenance of new and innovative product portfolios. They will act as the technical liaison between customers, sales, marketing, and the production facility.

JOB INFORMATION

• JOB TYPE: Full-Time / Permanent
• SALARY: USD $90,000 – $104,000 per year
• HOURS PER WEEK: 40+
• WORKWEEK: This position requires flexibility. However, the schedule is typically Monday–Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. or 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• PAYMENT DAYS: Thursday, biweekly
• PAYMENT TYPE: Direct Deposit

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as management may deem necessary from time to time.

1. All AMPI employees have an obligation to report employee safety, food safety, and food quality issues to authorized personnel. 2. Initiate and lead technical advancements within new and existing products, product portfolios, and production equipment. 3. Translate customer, sales, and marketing needs into technical requirements that can be used to formulate products. 4. Manage all product development projects to ensure clearly defined objectives, resource needs, and plans for efficient scale-up. 5. Responsible for product formulations throughout the entire product life cycle. 6. Lead, coordinate, and provide technical support for all product scale-up activities. 7. Build new capabilities within the pilot plant to quickly develop and scale up new, innovative, or revised products and product portfolios. 8. Routinely communicate to senior management current, new, and emerging science related to innovative products, packaging, and production processes. 9. Assist with corrective and preventive actions for product functionality issues. 10. Lead qualification, onboarding, and maintenance of raw materials and suppliers. 11. Maintain accurate raw material and formula files that are accessible to others within the organization. 12. Assist with the procurement of raw materials to meet formulation requirements. 13. Provide technical support to customers when needed. 14. Ensure all formulations and supporting documentation follow applicable regulations and requirements.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated proficiency in Windows and the MS Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, internet/intranet, and other organizational software. • Exceptional attention to detail, with strong organizational and time-management skills. • Knowledge of procedural controls and data validation techniques. • Professional communication skills for internal and external customers, coworkers, team members, and consultants. • Demonstrated presentation and training skills. • Ability to plan, initiate, direct, and carry out short- and long-term programs. • Ability to define problems, collect and document data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. • Ability to interpret a variety of situations and respond accordingly. • Possess traits of honesty, integrity, creativity, and flexibility. • Demonstrated understanding of the products manufactured and the processes involved. • Ability to read and comprehend standard operating procedures and company guidelines to maintain regulatory compliance. • Ability to understand daily production needs. • Strong teamwork skills, including the ability to lead, participate in, and work directly with cross-functional teams. • Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced and continually changing environment. • Detail-oriented and quality-minded. • Experience developing and monitoring production strategies and performance metrics. • Technical understanding of assigned commodities

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, or equivalent required. • Master’s degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, or equivalent preferred. • Experience in product development, least-cost formulation, and food manufacturing is a plus. • Knowledge of FSMA, HACCP, GMPs, OSHA, and loss-control programs is highly desirable. • Prior experience in the dairy or cheese industry, specifically processed cheese, is highly desirable.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK: Yes, Mexican Carta de No Antecedentes Penales. DRUG TEST: Yes. Employee must pass a drug test before departure from the place of recruitment. AMPI performs testing if the employee is already in the United States. 3 Amigos performs testing in Mexico (5- panel test). ENGLISH LEVEL REQUIREMENTS: C1 DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIRED: Yes. A Mexican driver’s license is acceptable. DEGREE DESIRED: Dairy Science, Food Engineering, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Production Engineering, with experience in the food industry.

EQUIPMENT AND APPAREL COMPANY UNIFORMS:

Yes. Uniforms and boots provided. SAFETY APPAREL: Provided. Safety glasses, ear plugs, boots, uniforms, and other equipment as needed.

FLIGHT TRANSPORTATION

PAID FLIGHT TO BUSINESS LOCATION: Yes AIRPORT OF ARRIVAL: • Portage: MSN Airport – transportation from the airport provided. PAID FLIGHT HOME: No.

WORKPLACE TRANSPORTATION

TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM WORKSITE: Transportation is provided when housing is more than walking distance from the plant. PORTAGE: Transportation provided. FOR HOW LONG IS TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED? IS IT FREE OR AT WORKER'S COST: Portage Cab Service is available Monday – Sunday at a cost of $5.50 per trip one-way. The employee will be covering this cost. If AMPI offers transportation at some point while the employee lives in company housing, it will be free but subject to imputed income when the value exceeds IRS limits. ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION: We will provide transportation for your first grocery trip. Routine transportation for groceries will not be provided and must be arranged with Portage Cab Service.

JOB INCENTIVES

WORKER COMPENSATION INSURANCE: Yes 401(k): Yes HEALTHCARE INSURANCE: Yes, at employee’s cost. PAID HOLIDAYS: Yes. Portage Holidays: • New Year’s Day • Memorial Day • Independence Day • Labor Day • Thanksgiving Day • Thanksgiving Floating Holiday • Christmas Day • Christmas Floating Holiday

HOUSING

HOUSING OPTION: Housing is currently available at all locations. This is employee-only housing and not family-style housing. The employer secures housing for up to 12 months. Employees must secure their own housing before the end of this period, or earlier if necessary. Housing is subject to availability. PORTAGE: • Multiple apartment units and one shared housing unit. • Shared rooms. RENT PER PERSON: Payment must be made via check or money order. • Months 2–3: $525/month • Months 4–6: $650/month • Months 7–9: $950/month • Months 10+: $995/month UTILITIES INCLUDED: Water, gas, trash, and electricity. FURNISHINGS: Beds, bedding, and kitchen utensils provided. WI-FI: No. LAUNDRY: Onsite. COIN OPERATED: No. DISTANCE FROM HOUSING TO WORKPLACE: • Approximately 10 minutes from the shared housing unit. • Approximately 30 minutes from apartment units.