R&D Technologist / Scientist

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Icelandic Provisions is an early-stage growth company that provides essential nutrition rooted in the Nordic Food Philosophy.  The flagship product, dairy Skyr, is the only authentic Icelandic Skyr brand in the United States that uses heirloom Skyr cultures and the original recipe that is beloved across Iceland.

The Nordic way of life is not only deeply rooted in the quality of the Icelandic Provisions’ products but runs deep in the organizational culture through the WÁOO (pronounced WOW!) values.  When we are attracting talent to join our growing organization, a natural question we ask is whether the candidate brings the “wáoo” factor?  We describe is as: Welcoming, Ámbitious, Optimistic, and On with the butter!

With a strong consumer and business base to build on, we are looking for product-obsessed, passionate individuals who are energized about rapid growth and achievement and want to be a part of the happy, healthy cultural movement that we are leading.  We believe in putting best-in-class products in the market and take pride in what we are building, “making everything count” along the way.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Innovation Department overseas existing as well as new products and platforms. The ambition of the department is to create products and platforms that address the unmet needs of consumers, that compel retailers to want to stock, that positively impact the health + wellness of people and the world at large.

This person would support the product development team in the development and scale up of new formulas, formula changes, and product changes. They would have the opportunity to take on projects from concept to commercialization. They would work very closely with the Innovation, Operation, Marketing and Quality team plus other partners.

KEY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Candidate must have a good understanding and hands-on experience with product development in the food industry. The candidate must demonstrate ability to develop specifications for new products based on critical sensory and nutritional attributes. Expectations for this person include:
  • Familiar with developing, testing, scaling up, and commercializing food products with minimal supervision
  • Good understanding of chemistry and microbiology and how they impact taste, texture, quality, and safety of food
  • Has a strong sensory skill and can identify and describe flavors in detail
  • Familiar working and building/maintaining relationship with external resources including suppliers and co-manufactures
  • Comfortable to work in a manufacturing environment, can create benchtop/prototype samples and develop SOPs
  • Has good laboratory practices including record keeping, data analyzing, cleaning, and general maintenance
  • The role requires tasting of different food products, and since IP is a dairy company it’s critical that this candidate is also a consumer of dairy products
  • Experience in or excited with fermentation
  • Has a strong sense of entrepreneurialism and gets excited about taking new responsibilities
  • Has a no task too small or too big mentality

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Minimum of 2 years of relevant product development, or R&D experience in a food company
    • CPG experience is a must
    • Process engineering and scale up process experience preferred
    • Laboratory and pilot plant experience preferred
  • BS or higher education required in food science or related field
  • Has a passion for the natural foods industry and health + wellness
  • This is a hands-on position based in our NYC office
  • A healthy fascination with Iceland is a plus

ORGANIZATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

The ideal candidate for any role within Icelandic Provisions needs to align to the values by exemplifying WÁOO (pronounced WOW!)  in the way that they lead.  We will naturally be assessing for the “wáoo” factor (i.e., did they “wáoo” you and will they “wáoo” others?)  Here’s how we describe it:  Welcoming, Ámbitious, Optimistic, On with the butter!

  • WELCOMING – Food is one of the greatest connectors we have as humans.  In the English language the word “companion,” in Spanish the word “companero,” in Italian the word “compagno,” and in French the word “copain” all come from the Latin meaning“with whom one eats bread.”  We love this because we are a provisions company, and we value and embrace how food brings us together.  So, it’s only natural that we look for talent that is hospitable and welcoming, treating and accepting others in a way that is consistent with the culture at IP.
  • AMBITIOUS – We have big dreams.  We are eager, brave, passionate and love to punch above our weight. We compete in one of the most competitive categories in the consumer-packaged goods retail landscape and we are a small and mighty team.  We are seeking individuals who are smart, entrepreneurial, and energized by charging toward a common goal to join our team.
  • OPTIMISTIC – We are a glass half full company.  Iceland is regarded as one of the happiest countries on earth despite being dark for much of the year. We are looking for individuals who are focused on the upside, shy away from negativity, and know how to persevere no matter what the circumstances are.
  • ON WITH THE BUTTER! – Put simply we do not like to dilly-dally. We connect dots, move, and then move on. There is an Icelandic phrase that is used to encourage people to get on with it called “áfram með smjörið” which literally translates as “get on with the butter.”  We are seeking individuals who know how to make informed decisions and then quickly action them.

YOU’RE AN IDEAL CANDIDATE IF…

  • You think working in a fast paced, ever changing, entrepreneurial environment is exciting
  • You believe there is always a better way. You ask lots of questions, actively seek the opinions of others and love working collaboratively
  • You are a “Swiss Army Knife” of talents and are comfortable with the often fluid, changing environment of a startup and want to make a positive and lasting impact
  • The unknown, the ill-defined or the uncharted motivates you
  • You are looking for a work environment without a lot of hierarchy, you like empowerment and have a “roll up your sleeves” mentality
  • You have strong analytical skills balanced with a great sense of logic and pragmatism when it comes to problem solving
  • You are self-aware, you pay attention to organizational dynamics, and you are comfortable pacing how you influence and drive organizational change
  • You are both a doer and an optimist

WHAT ICELANDIC PROVISIONS OFFER: 

  • Exciting work environment in a small team and a great deal of autonomy
  • Competitive benefits package including health, dental, vision insurance and 401k matching
  • Salary range: $75,000 – $100,000
  • Flexible paid time off allowing to manage your time as it works for you
  • Delicious Skyr available in the office, for free!