Chobani · 3 weeks ago
Research And Development Scientist - New Product Innovation
North Brunswick, NJ
Full-time
Onsite
Entry, Mid Level
$68K/yr - $103K/yrChobani is a food maker with a mission of making high-quality and nutritious food accessible to more people. The Research and Development Lab Scientist I will play a crucial role in developing innovative food products and providing technical support for existing products, focusing on food microbiology and product development.
Food and BeverageFood ProcessingManufacturing
Hiring Manager
Kari Dagel
Responsibilities
Execute research & development plans and strategies for product development in alignment with company objectives
Design and conduct experiments based on project goals, ensuring excellent record‑keeping, rigorous data collection and analysis, and preparation of project summaries
Plan and carry out development work at lab and pilot scale: design, develop, and lead tests to qualify new products and to support changes in existing products
Perform analytical measurements using microbial, chemical, and physical methods on food and experimental products. Acquire and analyze data using advanced tools and present results
Stay current with scientific and technological advances in the field by reviewing the literature and actively networking with colleagues and industry experts
Manage technical development projects focusing on product development, process, and product care to enable Chobani to improve and launch more innovative food and beverage products
Lead and document development projects from conceptualization through commercialization—including establishing budgets and meeting targets within specified time constraints
Communicate project requirements, recommendations, and status updates to internal stakeholders and external partners
Work directly with plant processing and production teams to ensure that trial runs and startup operations are properly executed
Adhere to Chobani’s safety protocols and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)
Collaborate effectively across teams: share information, support colleagues, and foster positive teamwork to ensure smooth project execution and problem solving
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Food Microbiology, Food Science, Dairy Science/Technology, Biotechnology, or a related field, with strong microbiology skills
Experience with microbiology of fermented dairy products (e.g., yogurt, kefir, cheese, cultured milk), including starter cultures, fermentation kinetics, and work with lactic acid bacteria
Skills in microbial quality assessment
Background in process and product development and commercialization of food processes
Proven track record of leading product development projects: timeline development/management, testing/trials, operational launch, and scale up
Excellent teamwork skills: ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues across functions, share knowledge, support others, and work toward common goals
Strong communication skills (written and verbal) to effectively present findings and interact with internal and external stakeholders
Comfort with ambiguity, initiative, and being energized by building something from the ground up
Deep curiosity for understanding complex food systems (physical, chemical, microbiological)
Ability to handle multiple projects or tasks simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment
Willingness to travel (10‑20%)
Must be willing to relocate or commute to New York City in the future
Maintain clean, safe, and compliant manufacturing and laboratory environments
Strong commitment to safety procedures and GMP
Preferred
Master's degree or higher preferred, especially for roles involving method development and product innovation
Knowledge of dairy chemistry is preferred
Experience in microbial characterization and strain development is an advantage
Experience handling various microbes and operating fermentation units is an asset
Familiarity with probiotics and their applications in food is a plus
Training or coursework in sensory science / sensory evaluation is a plus
Familiarity advanced research tools and statistical analysis
Benefits
Medical
Dental
Vision coverage
Disability insurance
Health savings account
Flexible spending accounts
Tuition reimbursement
401k match of 100% on up to 5% of eligible pay
Fertility and childcare assistance
12 weeks of parental leave at full pay after six months of continuous employment
Wellness resources
Employee assistance program
Fitness discounts
Wellness reimbursement
On-site gym access (certain locations)
Monthly wellness newsletter
120 hours of paid time off
11 holidays
Paid volunteer time off
Military service leave
Company
Chobani
Chobani is a food company that produces and markets Greek yogurt crafted from natural ingredients.
Founded in 2005
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Chobani has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (11)
2024 (15)
2023 (9)
2022 (13)
2021 (7)
2020 (9)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$2.55BKey Investors
TPG
2025-10-16Private Equity· $650M
2024-10-15Debt Financing· $650M
2024-01-11Debt Financing· $500M
Leadership Team
Hamdi Ulukaya
Founder and CEO
David Arena
Senior Vice President - Supply Chain Transformation and Enterprise Data Analytics
Recent News
2026-01-09
2025-11-23
Company data provided by crunchbase