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Poultry Food Scientist

Tyson Foods

Springdale, AR · Posted October 12, 2026

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About the job

Springdale, Arkansas, SUMMARY: This position is responsible for developing and commercializing new and improved poultry products and/or processes through guidance from their manager. This covers all stages of product development and process development including writing new product specifications, and ensuring regulatory labeling and food safety requirements are met. Additional responsibilities include developing samples/prototypes of new products, modifying existing products, optimizing existing products, developing specifications for product production labeling, and compiling cost analysis information. The person in this position will have a strong working knowledge of the scientific methods and is expected to leverage knowledge related to ingredients, product formulation and food processing to support best in class development of new, innovative food products. In addition, the person in this role will lead and execute cook validations for products in support of commercialization workstreams. This will include planning, conducting, documenting, and communicating cook validation studies across products, production lines, and fryer platforms to verify food safety, enable optimized cooking procedures, and support consistent restaurant quality.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Working with and strongly influencing marketing, insights, sales, culinary, FSQA, operations and purchasing departments, coordinating with suppliers of ingredients, ensuring smooth start‐up for new product production processes

Modifying or optimizing existing products, developing specifications for product production labeling, and compiling cost analysis information.

Work multiple development and optimization projects of moderate complexity, independently, from concept through commercialization with guidance from manager. This includes planning, executing experiments, analyzing data, reporting results.

Execute the development process with activities that include bench top development, pilot plant testing, and scale‐up production at a federally inspected research facility and final commercialization at full scale production facility

Strong working knowledge of the following is a plus: poultry new product development and optimization including battered and breaded products as well as water jet portioning technologies.

Help team to identify innovation that is treated as IP that can give Tyson a competitive edge in the industry

Analyze data to build product specifications that are process capable

Present technical data or concepts to laypersons on their level of understanding

Compile cost analysis information and provide to product management

Ensure costing structure meets the financial expectations of projects

Work on cross functional teams across the organization for project completion that will ultimately help achieve our growth and EBIT strategies

Travel to plant production facilities

Take on and complete special projects as needed.

Develop culinary samples/prototypes of new products, modifying existing products, optimizing existing products, developing specifications

Develop product production labels and compile cost analysis information

Strong working knowledge of the scientific methods and is expected to leverage knowledge related to ingredients, product formulation and food processing to support best in class development of new, innovative food products

Work with and influence cross functional team members (marketing, insights, sales, culinary, FSQA, operations and purchasing departments, coordinating with suppliers of ingredients) while ensuring smooth start-up for new product production processes

Work with process development to develop process flow charts for engineering

Ability and Initiative to grow within the organization and develop a personal development plan with your manager

Requirements for Senior Food Scientist II: Education & Experience: BS MS or PhD in Food Science, Meat Science, Food Engineering or related field. Related degree with minimum of 8 years relevant Research and Development work experience. No degree with minimum of 15 years relevant experience.

Requirements for Senior Food Scientist I: Education & Experience: BS MS or PhD in Food Science, Meat Science, Food Engineering, or related field. PhD with minimum of 2 years of relevant experience, M.S. with minimum of 3 years of relevant experience, B.S. with minimum of 5 years of relevant experience. No degree with minimum of 10 years relevant experience.

Requirements for Food Scientist II: Education & Education: BS MS or PhD in Food Science, Meat Science, Food Engineering, or related field. Alt. Protein science or equivalent Experience: PhD with no experience. M.S. with minimum of 2 years of relevant experience. B.S. with minimum of 3 years of relevant experience. No degree with minimum of 8 years relevant experience.

Requirements for Food Scientist I: Education & Experience: BS MS or PhD in Food Science, Meat Science, Food Engineering, or related field. PhD or M.S with no experience. B.S. with minimum of 2 years of relevant experience. No degree with minimum of 8 years relevant experienc e.

Must have relevant experience working with poultry and/or meat industry within a research and development role.

Other : Computer Skills : Requires good computer skills with ability to fully utilize MS Office products and Tyson systems (or like systems). Communication Skills: Good verbal and written communication skills required, presentation skills required, must have the ability to effectively communicate with cross functional business partners Special Skills: Strong critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills, strong project management skills. Strong numerical skills, understanding of product formulation, food processing and the Research and Development process, understanding of regulatory labeling and food safety requirements Supervisory: May supervise a team of hourly technicians that support a team of scientists. Travel : Minimum 25% (12+ trips a year)

Travel will be required to accomplish our internal and external customer needs

This includes customer meetings, visiting production facilities for testing and commercialization of new products, process trouble shooting and any other regular business needs.

Position Specific Requirements:

Applicants should either upload a resume to their application on Workday OR make sure their Career Profile in Workday is up to date and complete.

Must reside in the United States to be considered.

Sponsorship is not available for this position

Salary depends on industry experience and education. Will vary based on level.