Process Scientist Colors CD&D - Erlanger, KY

Job DescriptionProcess Scientist Colors CD&D - Erlanger, KYPosition Overview:The CD&D Color Process Scientist will help facilitate data-based decision-making across operations and quality functions within the Colors manufacturing environment. This role focuses on a strong partnership with Operations to reduce product rejections and process deviations by utilizing advanced analytics for emulsion, spray dry, dry blend and plated color production lines, while also collaborating with Quality Control and Procurement to strengthen raw material quality control and supplier consistency.The ideal candidate will combine strong data science expertise with a practical understanding of food ingredient manufacturing processes and quality systems, helping to ensure consistent product performance and operational efficiency.Key Responsibilities:Color Formula Optimization & Raw Material SelectionAssist with Scale-Up activities related to Color formulations, either at internal production sites or at co-manufacturing facilities.Adjust formulations prior to production, to account for raw material discrepancies against specificationsPartner with Operations and Planning teams to identify high-risk formulations, by observing issues during processing in real-time, then optimizing formulation prior to next planned productionCollaborate with Procurement and Quality to identify potential specification adjustments for raw materials, to improve formula efficiency and to strengthen our raw material supply chainData Analytics & ModelingCollect, clean and analyze production, quality and raw material data to identify trends, correlations and root causes of deviations and rejections.Develop predictive models to forecast process stability and product outcomes based on raw material attributes and process parameters.Implement DOE techniques to optimize formulations and reduce variability in emulsions, spray drying, dry blending and plating operations.Raw Material Quality & Supplier InsightsWork with Global Technology (GT) to facilitate the creation of data-driven frameworks that will assess and monitor incoming raw material quality and its impact on downstream performance.Collaborate with Procurement and Quality teams to establish quantitative quality benchmarks and predictive acceptance criteria.Develop dashboards and analytical tools to track supplier performance, material consistency, and correlations with finished product outcomes.Process Optimization & Continuous ImprovementPartner with process engineers and the Erlanger Production team to translate insights into actionable improvements in yield, stability and quality.Support root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) processes using data-driven techniques.Automate data collection and reporting systems to enable proactive deviation detection and real-time decision support.Cross-Functional Collaboration* Work closely with Quality Assurance, Operations, Procurement and Supply Chain to ensure alignment between raw material quality, process parameters and product performance.* Present findings and recommendations to technical and leadership teams, driving data-informed process and quality improvements.Data Infrastructure & Governance* Collaborate with IT and automation teams to enhance data accessibility from MES, LIMS and ERP systems.* Ensure robust data governance and standardization across raw material and production datasets.Qualifications:Education* Bachelor's or Master's degree in Data Science, Statistics, Food Science, Chemical Engineering or related field.* Advanced degree preferred.Experience3+ years of experience in data analytics or process optimization within the food ingredients or food manufacturing industry.Familiarity with emulsions, spray drying, dry blending and/or plating processes strongly preferred.Experience with raw material quality assessment and supplier performance analytics highly desirable.Technical SkillsProficiency in data analytics and data visualization tools (Power BI, etc).Strong understanding of statistical modeling, machine learning and process analytics.Familiarity with manufacturing data sources (MES, LIMS, ERP, etc).Excited about this role but don't think you meet every requirement listed? We encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings.ADM requires the successful completion of a background check.REF:106328BR