Job Title : Product Scientist
Location : Emeryville, CA 94608 (Local candidates preferred; no relocation assistance specified)
Pay rate : $25.00 - $27.00/hr
Work schedule : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday
Duration: 6 month contract
The Product Scientist plans and executes technical workflows to support product development, innovation, and core brand maintenance. Operating within a high-performing team, this role focuses directly on Clif Bar, the category's leading bar brand. The position balances independent problem-solving with collaborative, cross-functional teamwork, spanning from bench-top prototyping and quality troubleshooting to generating strict manufacturing process specifications.
Key Responsibilities
Brand Innovation & Renovation : Support near-term product innovation pipelines and existing product renovations for the Clif Bar brand.
Core Brand Maintenance : Investigate and resolve product quality issues, support Business Continuity Planning (BCP), manage margin-improvement projects, and assist with manufacturing plant performance initiatives.
Bench-Top Prototyping : Handcraft and refine bench-top food samples to directly support ongoing development, consumer testing, and formulation work.
Logistics & Sample Control : Coordinate the shipping, receiving, and internal inventory management of specialized experimental samples and raw ingredients.
Specification Authoring : Author precise process specifications to guarantee the delivery of consistent, high-quality food products across multiple large-scale manufacturing facilities.
Data Analysis & Scientific Rigor : Apply fundamental technical understanding to interpret complex test data, document findings, and reach clear, actionable conclusions.
Cross-Functional Collaboration : Partner with cross-functional project teams to identify, isolate, and systematically resolve technical manufacturing issues.
Must Have Skills / Requirements
Technical Foundation : Strong scientific curiosity paired with a solid technical foundation in food composition, ingredient functionality, or process engineering.
Project Management : Highly organized with a personal drive to prioritize, manage, and execute detailed work plans under the generalized supervision of a manager.
Proactive Problem Solving : Proven capability to spot potential product or process issues early and independently develop and implement technical solutions.
Communication Mastery : Excellent verbal, written, and technical writing communication skills, enabling seamless data transfer between R&D and manufacturing stakeholders.
Consumer Focus : Passion for putting the consumer experience at the heart of all product development and testing activities.
Education & Experience
Experience : 1 to 3 years of professional experience in food science, science, or engineering, ideally working within a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) or commercial food manufacturing market.
Education : Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related scientific discipline.
Benefits (employee contribution):