Oterra · 2 weeks ago
Senior Application Scientist
Sturtevant, WI
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
7+ years expOterra is a company specializing in natural colors for food and beverage systems, and they are seeking a Senior Application Scientist to serve as a technical expert. This role involves leading complex application projects, providing expert-level guidance to customers, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to support product development and customer solutions.
Food and BeverageFood ProcessingManufacturingOrganic
Responsibilities
Leads complex, multi-phase application projects, ensuring timely execution, technical accuracy, and alignment with customer and business objectives
Serves as a senior technical advisor to U.S. and global customers, providing expert-level guidance on the use, stability, processing, and performance of Oterra’s natural color portfolio
Delivers on-site customer support at both laboratory and production-plant levels, including troubleshooting, scale-up support, and commercialization assistance
Partners strategically with Account Managers to retain and grow key business, identify technical opportunities, influence customer decision-making, and support long-term commercial relationships
Champions safety practices, modeling and reinforcing safe laboratory behavior and compliance with all corporate and regulatory guidelines
Develops advanced technical presentations, demonstrations, and training materials for internal teams, customers, and industry events
Conducts sophisticated analytical testing—including colorimetric evaluations, formulation trials, and stability assessments—to support data-driven decisions and customer recommendations
Provides high-quality technical documentation, including project plans, experimental results, and formal technical reports for internal stakeholders and customer use
Maintains and enhances relevant technical databases, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and efficient knowledge-sharing
Authors, updates, and enforces technical SOPs, best practices, and standardized testing protocols
Collaborates with cross-functional teams—R&D, Product Management, Marketing, Operations, Quality, and Regulatory—to support new product development, application guidelines, and optimized customer solutions
Supports sample preparation activities as required, particularly for high-priority customer or innovation projects
Mentors junior scientists and technicians, providing guidance on experimental design, technical problem-solving, and best practices in application science
Participates in strategic initiatives that shape Oterra’s future product roadmap, application capabilities, and customer experience
Qualification
Required
MS or PhD in Food Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline; or a BS degree with significant relevant experience
Minimum of 7–10 years of experience in food and beverage formulation, product development, application science, or a related technical field
Deep understanding of food and beverage processing across multiple application categories (e.g., beverages, dairy, snacks, confectionery, prepared foods)
Exceptional color discrimination and visual acuity; strong ability to evaluate color in a wide range of application systems. (Color vision testing required.)
Advanced technical communication skills, with the ability to present complex concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
Strong analytical skills with the ability to design experiments, interpret data, draw conclusions, and communicate actionable insights
Proven ability to lead projects independently while collaborating effectively in cross-functional and global environments
Customer-centric mindset with the ability to build strong relationships and influence technical decisions
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced setting
Proficiency with laboratory equipment, formulation tools, colorimetry, and digital documentation systems
Company
Oterra
Oterra is a developer and manufacturer of naturally sourced coloring ingredients for food and beverages.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
unknown2020-09-26Acquired
Leadership Team
Joshua Lorbach, MBA
Finance Business Partner
Mary Bentley
Chief Commercial Officer
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