R&D Scientist, Product Development

Location(s):

Mexico

City/Cities:

Ciudad de Mexico

Travel Required:

00% - 25%

Relocation Provided:

No

Job Posting End Date:

January 3, 2025

Shift:

Job Description Summary:

This is not a Marketing or IT role.

The Global Development and Innovation (GDI) center is pivotal to The Coca‐Cola Company's innovation in beverages across multiple categories (sparkling, juices, iced teas, ...) and covering, product development, packaging & equipment development. As a Scientist Product Developer, you will plan and lead projects across various categories, contributing to our portfolio’s growth by developing new or enhancing existing beverages, as well as working on business continuity projects. This role offers a unique blend of local and global impact, demanding technical knowledge, creativity, and an eye for future trends as well as strong digital savvy and collaboration skills to leverage Coca-Cola global network of expertise.
Function Related Activities/Key Responsibilities:

• Work as part of a cross-functional team (regulatory affairs, quality, global SME’s, marketing): plan and execute projects to deliver product enhancements and innovations, following stage gate process requirements as well as managing the Commercialization timeline of the project.

• Project Execution: Execute new recipe development or adaptations (assigned by and under supervision of manager), ensuring projects meet quality, timing, and budget targets. Employ a 'design to value' and E2E approach to incorporate sustainability, regulatory requirements, consumer preference, and supply chain considerations from the start.

• Innovation and Prototyping: Develop lab-scale prototypes, conduct analytical,  sensory tests, facilitate / follow up pilot-scale productions and co-lead with the operating unit the scale up trial run in bottler plants. Apply statistical methods and design of experiments to enhance product development efficiency and learning. Leverage digital tools to document formulas and mixing instructions.

• Communication and Collaboration: Report project outcomes, share learnings, participate in cross-functional teams, and provide insights and data to guide decisions and innovations. Your effective storytelling and technical communication will bridge technical recommendations with strategic business objectives.

• System and Market Understanding: in-depth understanding of the Coca-Cola’s system dynamics, from bottling/manufacturing operations to global supply chains, and translate trends and the science of taste into compelling product propositions. Strong knowledge of bottler capabilities.

• Sustainability and Technology: Integrate sustainability principles and digital tools (e.g., AI, digital prototyping) early in the development process to map impacts and accelerate innovation. Your digital acumen will enable you to leverage data and technology in product  development and risk management as well as contribute to unlocking future opportunities.

• New Risk Awareness: Stay informed about emerging risks, especially those related to agricultural ingredient selection and product design, to ensure safety. This includes managing allergens, microbial risks, and sensitivities of products and raw materials, as well as process recommendations.

• External Focus and Innovation: Ability to identify and pilot novel propositions that can give our brands or products a competitive edge. Consider new technologies and ingredients and evaluate their potential for our purposes: co-creating the innovation pipeline.

• Market Insights and Competitor Awareness: Maintain a strong interest in the activities and strategies of our competitors, as well as overall market trends. This involves not just understanding what exists, but imagining new possibilities and translating them into technically feasible solutions. Ability to use this information to help shape category strategy.

• Digital Savviness for Innovation: Harness digital tools, technologies, and platforms to gather insights for product development, such as market trends, consumer preferences, and social media information. Use artificial intelligence to aid in ideation and concept development, accelerate the creation of new ideas, and utilize digital prototyping to speed up innovation and enhance product quality. Employ data and software tools for managing sustainability from the design phase and assessing risks more effectively.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's, Master’s, or Post-Graduate degree in food science, chemistry, or related field.

• Fluent in English, with proficiency in an additional language preferred.

• At least 4 years successful product development experience in the beverages industry or 4-6 successful experience in food industry. 

Functional Skills:

• Strong knowledge of beverage development, ingredient knowledge, processing technology (mixing, heat treatment, filling) and industry standards.   

• Digital literacy: Advanced digital skills to employ data analytics, AI, and digital prototyping in innovation. Data integrity and cybersecurity awareness.

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and project management abilities.

• Agility, resilience, and creativity to navigate new product development projects.

• Commitment to sustainability and familiarity with science-based targets for eco-design and supply chain (e.g., tracking ingredient sourcing and lifecycle impacts, and foundational knowledge on circular economy).

• Proficiency in statistical analysis and experimental design.

Skills:

Chemistry, Communication, Continual Improvement Process, Data Compilation, Environmental Science, Food Safety Management, Food Sciences, Food Technology, Green Solutions, Laboratory Testing, Leadership, Microbiology Laboratory, Product Development, Quality Control (QC), Researching, Sensory Processing, Waterfall Model

Our Purpose and Growth Culture:

We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.