Scientist II, Granola

Business Unit Overview

Headquartered in Lakeville, Minn., Post Consumer Brands, a business unit of Post Holdings, Inc., is dedicated to providing people and their pets with delicious food choices for every taste and budget. The company's portfolio includes beloved brands such as Honey Bunches of Oats, PEBBLES, Grape-Nuts and Malt-O-Meal cereal and Peter Pan peanut butter, as well as Rachael Ray Nutrish, Kibbles 'n Bits and 9Lives dog and cat food. Post also provides private label solutions to customers in pet food, cereal, nut butters and granola. As a company committed to high standards of quality and to our values, we are driven by one idea: To make lives better by making delicious food accessible for all. For more information about our brands, visit www.postconsumerbrands.com and follow us on LinkedIn or Facebook for the latest news.

Location Description

The Eugene, Oregon plant produces both organic and non‑organic granola, with annual production of up to 52 million pounds. The site supports a team of more than 200 manufacturing and support employees and plays an important role in supplying private label granola products across the U.S.

Eugene is known for its strong focus on sustainability, outdoor recreation, and innovation. Home to the University of Oregon, the city is widely recognized as the birthplace of Nike, reflecting its long‑standing connection to athletics and performance culture and is also known as Track Town USA. Another frequent cry in Eugene establishments is "Go Ducks," celebrating the triumphs of the U of O men's and women's sports teams. Eugene offers abundant access to parks, trails, and natural beauty, along with a vibrant arts and food scene, creating an engaging and lifestyle‑oriented community for employees and their families.

Responsibilities

Post Holdings is seeking a talented and innovative Food Scientist II to join our Product Development team in Eugene, Oregon. This role is ideal for a food science professional who can blend baking chemistry expertise with culinary creativity to develop granola and cereal products that deliver exceptional flavor, texture, and the perfect crunch.

The Food Scientist II will lead and support new product development, product optimization, process improvements, and commercialization efforts from concept through full-scale manufacturing. The ideal candidate will have experience working with granola, cereal, snack, or grain-based products and possess strong formulation, scale-up, and manufacturing knowledge.

This position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on product innovation while working within a collaborative, growth-oriented environment that combines the resources of a large organization with the agility of a smaller team.

Key Responsibilities

Product Development & Innovation

• Develop new cereal, granola, and grain-based products from concept through commercialization.
• Improve and extend existing product lines to enhance quality, texture, flavor, nutritional profile, and consumer appeal.
• Utilize baking chemistry, ingredient functionality, and culinary principles to create innovative products.
• Conduct laboratory, benchtop, pilot plant, vendor, and full-scale manufacturing trials.
• Scale formulations successfully from benchtop development to commercial production.

Commercialization & Manufacturing Support

• Lead and support commercialization activities for new products and product improvements.
• Provide product design and processing parameter recommendations for new products, capacity improvements, and equipment design.
• Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Procurement, and Marketing teams to ensure successful product launches.
• Support validation of process and product parameter changes at manufacturing facilities.
• Troubleshoot product quality, processing, and manufacturing issues using scientific and analytical approaches.

Process Improvement & Cost Optimization

• Identify and implement product and process improvements that drive efficiency, quality, consistency, and cost savings.
• Support product and packaging modifications, equipment enhancements, and manufacturability improvements.
• Evaluate ingredient alternatives and process changes to optimize performance and reduce costs.
• Participate in corporate cost-savings initiatives and continuous improvement projects.

Technical & Regulatory Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain formulas, specifications, processing procedures, and technical documentation.
• Conduct ingredient evaluations, sensory assessments, shelf-life studies, and product performance testing.
• Ensure compliance with FDA regulations, GMPs, HACCP programs, food safety requirements, and company standards.
• Stay current on industry trends, competitive products, emerging ingredients, and consumer preferences.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree (minimum) in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Nutrition, or a related technical field.
• 2+ years of experience in food manufacturing, product development, or R&D within the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) food industry.
• Experience developing or manufacturing food products.
• Proven success in product formulation, process development, and commercialization.
• Strong understanding of baking science, ingredient functionality, and food processing principles.
• Experience scaling products from benchtop development to pilot and commercial production.
• Working knowledge of FDA regulations, GMPs, HACCP, and food safety systems.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, project management, and communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and technical documentation software.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2-5 years of experience in a product development or process development role within the food industry.
• Direct experience in granola and cereal product development.
• Experience with baking, mixing, coating, extrusion, drying, or cereal manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated history of culinary innovation and successful product launches.
• Experience with sensory evaluation, shelf-life testing, and nutritional labeling.
• Experience supporting capacity expansion, equipment qualification, and manufacturing optimization initiatives.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work effectively in laboratory, pilot plant, and manufacturing environments.
• Ability to stand, walk, and move throughout production facilities for extended periods.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) in manufacturing areas.

Why You'll Love This Role

• Big company opportunities with a small company culture and attitude.
• Direct influence on product formulation, innovation, and commercialization.
• Opportunity to create products consumers enjoy every day.
• Meaningful impact on process development and scale-up to full plant production.
• Collaborative and growth-oriented team environment.
• Exposure to cross-functional leadership and strategic initiatives.
• Opportunities for professional development and career advancement within Post Holdings.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate is a hands-on Food Scientist who enjoys working in both the lab and the manufacturing plant. They possess a strong combination of food science expertise, baking chemistry knowledge, culinary creativity, and commercial manufacturing experience. They thrive in a fast-paced environment and have a passion for creating innovative granola and cereal products that delight consumers while meeting quality, operational, and business objectives.

Compensation

$70,386.00-$105,590.00

Location & Travel

• Location: Eugene, OR
• Travel: Minimal travel required as needed