job purpose:

We are seeking an independent and driven Associate Scientist to join our R&D team as a Method Developer & Project Owner. This role marks a pivotal career step on our team, transitioning from executing assigned tasks to fully owning experiments and scientific decision-making. Operating with project-level ownership, you will be responsible for driving specific workstreams end-to-end, developing comprehensive research plans, and validating underlying physical and chemical mechanisms. This is a hands-on opportunity centered on benchtop lab work with pilot plant support as needed, where you will apply scientific judgment to translate raw data into actionable, contextualized business insights.

responsibilities:

Experimental Ownership & Method Innovation

• Design, set up, and execute scientific experiments, ensuring all work aligns with broader project goals and strict scientific rigor.

• Innovate within the laboratory environment by adapting analytical methods, optimizing existing testing protocols, and validating new analytical approaches.

• Continually improve laboratory practices by writing, establishing, and implementing new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Root Cause Analysis & Technical Troubleshooting

• Actively engage in cross-functional root cause analysis to investigate and resolve complex technical and product quality issues.

• Apply independent scientific judgment to troubleshoot analytical and process deviations, contributing insights that go beyond simple task execution.

Cross-Functional Influence & Communication

• Translate and report complex scientific data into clear, actionable insights for an expanded group of cross-functional stakeholders, including QA, Supply Chain, Plant Operations, Marketing, and Consumer Insights.

• Communicate technical findings with clear business context and impact, focusing on the "why" behind the results rather than just reporting raw data.

Knowledge Transfer & People Leadership

• Operate with a high degree of day-to-day autonomy to lead seamless technical knowledge transfers across R&D and manufacturing networks.

• Provide active peer-to-peer coaching, technical guidance, and mentorship to junior technicians within both the R&D and Quality departments.

skills/qualifications required:

Required:

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master's degree in Food Science or Dairy Science, or a closely related scientific field.

• Experience: 1-3 years of laboratory experience within food, beverage, or fluid dairy R&D/manufacturing environments.

• Technical Competence:

• Proven experience in method development, protocol optimization, and authoring technical SOPs.

• Hands-on proficiency with analytical laboratory instrumentation (such as rheology, physical chemistry testing, or compositional analysis).

• Demonstrated ability to apply independent scientific judgment to move projects from data collection to mechanistic understanding.

• Strong communication and collaborative skills, with a track record of sharing data clearly with cross-functional partners like plant operations and quality teams.

Preferred:

• Direct experience supporting pilot plant operations or commercial scale-up trials.

• Strong foundational knowledge of dairy, physical chemistry, protein stability, or fluid milk matrix interactions.

• Experience training plant floor operators or QA technicians on newly implemented laboratory methods.

how fairlife nourishes you:

At fairlife, we believe in better — and that includes how we support our people. We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits and wellbeing resources designed to support you physically, emotionally, socially, and financially, both in and out of work.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, effective day one!

• Supplemental health plans (hospital indemnity, accident, and critical illness insurance)

• Paid Time Off to recharge and support work-life balance

• Paid parental leave & adoption assistance (up to $10,000)

• Parental support & family care benefits, including childcare resources and lactation support

• 401(k) to support retirement planning with up to 9% in employer match

• Wellness reimbursement (up to $500 for qualified wellbeing expenses)

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for emotional wellbeing and work-life support

• Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability

• Employer HSA funding (for HDHP participants)

• Tuition reimbursement (up to $10,000) and student loan repayment ($200/month)

• Learning & development programs to unlock your full potential

• Rewards & recognition, matching gifts, free product, and Business Resource Groups

fairlife’s nour!sh program is designed to meet you where you are — supporting your individual wellbeing journey while enabling you to do your best work every day.

position location: Chicago, IL

reports to: Senior Director, Process Science & Technology

travel requirements: 15-30%

exempt/nonexempt: Exempt