Senior Analytical Chemist

Description

At PURIS, we're dedicated to cultivating a better food system and making a positive impact. How do we do it? By transforming high-quality, USA-made ingredients into essential components for a wide range of everyday products. From cereals and snacks to protein beverages and beyond, our ingredients are powering a healthier future. This is more than just a job; it's an opportunity to be part of a growing food industry. You'll work with state-of-the-art engineering and work together with your peers to build a better food future. 

The Enterprise Senior Analytical Chemist leads and oversees a comprehensive analytical strategy required to produce safe, high quality food products that meet the regulatory requirements and expectations of our customers.  

The Senior Analytical Chemist role provides direction and motivation to a team of Quality Technicians. The Senior Analytical Chemist is an SQF practitioner and PCQI certified.  This individual develops SOPs, programs, specifications, and protocols necessary for analytical operation. They oversee method lifecycle management and ensure harmonization across sites.

Pay Range: $77,000 - $96,000

Pay Frequency: Biweekly 

Bonus Eligible: Yes

Work Location: Dawson, Minnesota

Travel: Minimal

*The salary for this role will be based on qualifications, experience, market data, and internal equity. Actual pay may vary due to factors such as location, skills, education, and performance. Pay is determined transparently, using market benchmarks and ensuring internal equity.

Responsibilities

Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) Certified: 

• Owns co-man & Plant B   product release and ensures harmonization between co-man, Plant B and   enterprise product release practices, included LIMS, and ERP implementation.  
• Serves as a backup for product   release at Dawson. 
• Ensure the accuracy and   timeliness of Food Safety and Quality reporting, product test results,   product release information, and PCQI daily batch record review. Ensure   product sampling is completed and lot retains are maintained. 
• New product and   commercialization scale up. 

Quality Team Leadership: 

• Develops and implements   leadership strategies. Can lead and   develop high-performing teams. Regulatory reviews and updates leadership approaches to stay   competitive. Frequently seeks feedback   to improve leadership skills. 
• Coach and validate Analytical and   Grains Lab Technicians on job tasks to ensure capability on all testing   protocols. Validate Lab Technician   Capability minimum every 6 months at Harrold and Dawson.
• Recommend predictive Food Safety   KPIs that will allow Puris to proactively meet our food safety ambitions.
• The Senior Analytical Chemist is   a Member of the Dawson Quality Leadership Team working collaboratively to set   direction and positively build the culture of the plant. Serves as a backup   for the QA Manager and QA Team Lead. Provide required support during regulatory,   certification and customer site audits.  
• Build, lead, and develop a team   of food safety and quality professionals, promoting a culture of excellence   and continuous learning.

Analytical Expertise: Recommend the most proficient   equipment to optimize ingredient analysis. 

• Support Plant   Operations on Problem solving requirements  
• Provide analytical   expertise for Customer and Regulatory inquiries.  
• Manage cost to minimize   analytical cost of overall product production. 
• Manage consumables and material   required in the analytical lab to meet budget and ensure no downtime.
• Calibration and preventative   maintenance of all laboratory equipment including NIR Analyzers for   ingredient and grain composition. 
• Lead and manage routine analytical testing at the Dawson site, including use of combustion protein   equipment, pH meters, rapid moisture analyzers, particle size analyzer and   allergen testing and reporting. 
• Coordinate 3rd party laboratory testing, support and qualification. 
• Represent PURIS as a testing SME on industry panels for example ISO TAG member, AOAC, etc.  
• Lead and collaborate on site and product validation/verification efforts, including but not limited CIP, ATP,   Allergen, etc.  

Product Release: 

• Evaluate products and assign   appropriate disposition, review PCQI, Augmentir, product data, and   create COAs to ensure a timely product release process that meets specified   KPIs for product release.

Risk Assessment: 

• Use analytical expertise to   identify, assess, and mitigate food safety and quality risks throughout the   supply chain. 
• Actively participate in   Management of Change process regarding analytical and SOP processes and   ability to execute. 
• Serves as a key member of the   Risk Assessment Team to recognize risks and appropriately categorize and   communicate about them.
• Uses data to create thought   leadership positions for PURIS that elevate PURIS from features and benefits   discussions to true industry paradigm shifting conversations. 
• Recommend predictive Food Safety KPIs that will allow Puris to proactively meet our food safety ambitions.
• Assess product specifications for raw materials and finished goods and ensure compliance to relevant   requirements. 

Customer Engagement and Problem Solving: 

• Represent PURIS in customer/product interactions, application support and follow-ups. 

Specific Measures of Success  

1. Zero food safety incidents and regulatory compliance issues.

2. Successful execution of product release targets and delivery on product release KPIs

3. Effective risk management strategies resulting in reduced quality incidents.

4. Achievement of team development goals, including training completion rates and employee engagement scores. 

5. Successfully pass external audits, certifications with no major findings related to areas of responsibility.

Requirements

Experience/Qualification

• Degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Microbiology, Quality Engineering or other related field.
• 5+ years Production, Laboratory, or Food Safety Management experience.
• PCQI/HACCP, SQF certified
• Team leadership, organization and time management skills
• Excellent communication, interpersonal skills and cooperative attitude
• Strong analytical, investigative and critical thinking skills
• Strong sense of integrity and goal setting
• Ability to lead and integrate FSQR into manufacturing activities
• Familiarity with commercial food processing
• Strong Microsoft Office experience

Additional Requirements

• Capable of working at elevated heights
• Lift up to 50#
• Adapt to temperature and environmental extremes from hot to cold, noise, dust, dirt and chemicals
• Ability to sit or stand for long periods of time working on the computer.
• Travel to off-site training and sites for support as needed.

Benefits:

At PURIS, we’re proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you both personally and professionally. Benefits are effective the first of the month following your hire date. You’ll have access to medical plan options with competitive premiums, along with dental and vision coverage. All Team Members also receive free virtual health care and virtual counseling services. PURIS provides life insurance and short-term disability coverage at no cost to you. To support your long-term financial well-being, PURIS offers a 401(k) plan with a company contribution of 3.5% when you contribute up to 6%. You’ll also enjoy a healthy work-life balance with 80 hours of PTO accrued annually, eight paid holidays, and access to a variety of additional free resources. Join PURIS and experience benefits designed to support your well-being—today and into the future.  

Why Work with Us?

Career Growth: PURIS offers a dynamic work environment where you can develop your skills and advance your career. We are committed to nurturing talent and providing ample opportunities for professional development and growth within the company.

Comprehensive Benefits: Enjoy a range of benefits designed to support your well-being and work-life balance, including on-demand pay, and telehealth services. 

Innovative Environment: You'll have the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art engineering and cutting-edge technology. Our dedication to innovation means you'll be part of a forward-thinking team constantly pushing the boundaries of the plant-based food industry.

Strong Values: We uphold integrity and a global vision for the future. Our company culture is built on collaboration, excellence, and a shared commitment to our mission of creating a better food system. This commitment extends to fostering a workplace where safety is paramount in every operation.

Commitment to Sustainability: At PURIS, we are deeply dedicated to creating a sustainable future. Our manufacturing processes are designed to minimize environmental impact and promote regenerative agriculture. By joining our team, you'll contribute to a company that values sustainability and is committed to making a positive impact on the planet.

Join Our Team:

To apply for the role, visit www.puris.com/careers. PURIS is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are welcome, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. The hiring process includes successfully completing a background check, and drug screen. We E-verify all new hires.

 No unsolicited agency submittals please. Agency partners must be invited to participate in a search by our Talent Acquisition Team and have signed terms in place prior to any submittal. Resumes submitted directly to any PURIS employee or affiliate will not qualify for fee payment and therefore become the property of PURIS.