Jack Link's isn't made up of a bunch of button-up, corporate types. Like our beef jerky, we believe in being authentic and genuine. Life's too short to be artificial. We've never done things the way everyone else does. Over the years, it's always been more than just a way of doing business. It's a way of life. We push hard and take risks - with the unwavering passion to get done what we've set out to do. All backed up by an unflinching eye on quality. So when you picture the people who make North America's best-selling brand of beef jerky, you'll find we're just a bunch of regular folks, inspired to make the finest beef jerky possible, every single day. We're just lucky enough to have the whole world asking for a taste.

The story of Jack Link's Protein Snacks is a story of family traditions. It began with treasured family recipes that were passed from generation to generation, ultimately transforming a small North Woods business into one of the fastest-growing meat snack manufacturers in the world. Today Jack Link's sells more than 100 different meat snack products in more than 40 countries. More than a century has passed, but the Link family principles and traditions remain the same: hard work, integrity and a commitment to earn consumer respect by delivering the best-tasting meat snacks in the world.

Food Scientist Intern

POSITION SUMMARY

Join our team as a Food Scientist Intern during the summer and Feed Your Wild Side! Your internship will be based in Minneapolis, MN. You will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through formal and informal training, managing projects, attending events, networking with fellow interns, working with key Jack Link's leaders and team members. At the completion of your internship, you will conduct a final presentation on your internship experience.

From concept to commercialization, R&D Food Scientists are the leaders and drivers of new product development at Jack Link's. As a Food Scientist Intern you will join us in a highly collaborative role, working closely with the R&D team, operations, food safety & quality (FSQ), business management, marketing, sales, consumer insights, and procurement; in order to run pilot plant tests, execute plant trials, and to effectively launch new protein snacks.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

• Develop new products and formulations to meet Jack Link's business objectives. Develop bench-top prototypes, identify ingredients, document product specifications, scale-up products into manufacturing setting, and coordinate product analysis (sensory, nutritional, challenge studies, etc.) as needed.
• Design and execute appropriate testing methodologies to validate changes to raw materials, formulations, and process. Coordinate testing plans with food safety, regulatory, quality and operations. Generate written reports, interpret results, and make next step recommendations.
• Provide technical support in determining root cause and finding solutions for problems in food products such as sensory, quality, or consistency issues. Participate on cross-functional teams to identify areas of opportunity in cost reduction, yield improvement, and formulation/process improvement and efficiencies.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum requirements:

• Work towards Bachelor of Science degree in Meat Science, Food Science or related field
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Comfortable in a fast paced, changing environment
• Must be able to communicate effectively with various manufacturing and marketing functional groups
• Must be flexible and able to work well in a team environment

Preferred Qualifications:

• Meat processing industry knowledge and experience.
• Direct knowledge of food manufacturing regulations, standards and labeling, plant sanitation, microbiology and SPC.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or more up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant / office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet / slippery floors. However; the vast amount of work is conducted in a climate controlled office. Travel may be required.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment

without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.