Usda Pilot Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Amylu Foods is hiring a Meat Scientist to develop new products as we continue to grow!

This role is located at our production facility on 44th St in the Stockyards section of Chicago.

Who are we?

Amylu Foods is a Female founded, high-growth, natural CPG company with over a century of tradition rooted in using fresh ingredients and hand-crafted recipes.

As the pioneers of chicken sausage, we blend innovation with experience, bringing bold, fresh flavors to the table.

From our Chicago roots, we've grown into a passionate, dedicated team of food enthusiasts, leading the category with our creative recipes, small-batch production, and constant flavor innovation.

Celebrating over 100 years of culinary craftsmanship, we're expanding our offerings and distribution nationwide, launching new and exciting products that continue to redefine the protein category.

Role Description

The Meat Scientist will be responsible for leading the technical development, scale-up and lifecycle support of new meat protein products and processes in partnership with corporate sales, customers, and leadership.

Primary Responsibilities

Product Development & Formulation

• Develops product prototypes through benchtop formulation and iterative testing.
• Designs new products and improves existing formulations that translate successfully to full-scale production while meeting culinary, financial, nutritional, and customer expectations.
• Identifies and documents equipment, tooling, and machine settings needed for processing
• Leads cross-functional coordination and execution of trials in the plant.
• Evaluates prototypes for sensory qualities to meet customer expectations.

Process Development & Scale-Up

• Supports pilot and commercial-scale trials by providing technical preparation, on-site execution support, and post-trial evaluation.
• Adapts formulations and processes to meet the technical and operational capabilities of the assigned manufacturing facility.
• Collaborates with Operations to optimize processes and production performance within approved product specifications.
• Applies food safety, quality, and shelf-life principles during development and scale-up to ensure consistent product performance.
• Supports yield improvement and cost-reduction initiatives by analyzing process performance, material usage, and formulation efficiency.

Commercialization & Cross-Functional Support

• Supports product commercialization activities by providing technical input, formulation expertise, and process knowledge.
• Schedules, supports, and leads product evaluations for internal screenings and customer presentations.
• Communicates with internal stakeholders and customers regarding product development progress as needed.
• Identifies, evaluates, and implements cost-saving opportunities related to formulation and process changes in support of ongoing product optimization.
• Serves as technical owner for assigned products post-commercialization, supporting continuous improvement, issue resolution, and product consistency over the product lifecycle.

Regulatory, Quality & Documentation

• Reviews and proofs product labels to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Creates, manages, and maintains product and process specifications.
• Maintains accurate project records and completes required departmental administrative tasks related to development and commercialization activities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Meat Science, Food Science, or another related field.
• 1+ years of food product development experience. With a preference for experience in meat protein.
• Knowledge of food processing technologies.
• Knowledge of microbiology and product shelf-life control.
• Knowledge of USDA and FDA regulations.
• Strong working knowledge of computers, specifically Microsoft Office products.
• Travel approximately 5% of time.
• Spend approximately 20-40% of time in the manufacturing plant.
• Ability to stand for long periods (10-15%) of time in plant conditions/cold temperatures (40-50°F).
• Ability to lift 50 lbs.
• Can work independently, skilled at planning, organizing, prioritizing, and executing simultaneous projects and activities.
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate with cross-functional teams during all stages of development.
• Effectively deal with ambiguity and changes consistent with a fast-paced growing company.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Meat Science, Food Science, Food Process Engineering, or another related field.
• Meat manufacturing experience.
• Experience working in a USDA regulated facility.
• Lean/Six Sigma certification.
• Bilingual, English/Spanish preferred.
• Strong communication and technical writing skills.

Compensation and Benefits Summary:

• Pay Range: $75,000 - $85,000 per year.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with a company match of up to 3.5%
• Paid Time Off (PTO) plus 40hrs paid sick leave plus 8 paid holidays.

Amylu Foods is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran, or disability status.