Principal Scientist - Breakthrough Innovation
About the job
- A bachelor's or university degree is required.
- A foundation in Food Science or Food/Chemical Engineering and strong technical acumen are required.
- Ability to apply scientific principles to research and creative problem solving.
- Expert understanding of food science, packaging, and manufacturing processes.
- An advanced degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or Chemical Engineering is required; a PhD is a plus.
- At least 7 years of product development experience is required, preferably involving supplements, pet food, and/or nutraceuticals.
- Familiarity with the Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Agriculture, or other relevant regulatory bodies and standards.
- Experience with product lifecycle management systems, Microsoft Office Suite, and data analysis tools.
- The role requires on-site work due to significant laboratory and pilot-plant work.
- Develop and commercialize innovative new products that expand the company’s portfolio beyond its core categories, applying leading-edge science to unlock innovation in new verticals.
- Collaborate with the Emerging Science group to bring leading-edge technologies and ingredients to life in commercial products.
- Provide direct supervision and mentorship to a research technician, including assigning tasks, overseeing experimental execution, and supporting professional development.
- Conduct benchtop prototyping and pilot-scale tests.
- Apply agile product and ingredient design with the target consumer or customer at the center.
- Conduct competitive and feasibility assessments.
- Design ingredients and formula applications so commercialized end products are reproducible and robust enough to meet customer expectations, quality and cost requirements, and manufacturing requirements.
- Manage technical timelines and multiple projects with competing deadlines.
- Develop technical timelines and collaborate with cross-functional partners on learning plans.
- Deliver technical milestones within a stage-gate framework.
- Perform costing exercises at multiple stages throughout the product development cycle.
- Present ideas and recommendations to senior management.
- Identify budget and cross-functional resource needs.
- Identify and share portfolio-building ideas and contribute to ideation sessions.
- Travel as needed for ideation sessions, trend treks, relevant trade shows, partner collaborations, and commercialization of new products at a manufacturing plant.
- A master's degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or Chemical Engineering is preferred.
- A PhD is a plus.
- Experience in supplements, pet food, and/or nutraceuticals is preferred.
About the company
Ocean Spray is a grower-owned agricultural cooperative that produces cranberry- and citrus-based beverages. Its main products include cranberry juices, juice cocktails (such as Cran-Apple), and historically, jellied cranberry sauce. The cooperative model means the cranberry and grapefruit growers themselves own the company, which helps set stable prices and leverage collective marketing power. The product line expanded from cranberry sauce to juices after a crisis in 1959, targeting blended juice drinks to diversify beyond single-fruit offerings. Unlike many brands that are owned by outside investors, Ocean Spray has remained cooperatively owned and has rejected acquisition offers, maintaining alignment with its grower-owners. The company’s goal is to expand markets for its fruit by developing and selling juice beverages and other related products while providing stable returns to its growers.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$20K
Headquarters
Middleborough, Massachusetts
Founded
1930
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- September 21, 2026 leadership hires sharpen supply chain and transformation before harvest.
- May 12, 2025 Leagues Cup sponsorship and Bryan Cranston campaign keep Ocean Spray culturally visible.
- Ocean Spray sells in more than 100 countries, spreading risk beyond North America.
What critics are saying
- September 2026 executive churn under Buckwalter signals a turnaround pressure cooker, not stability.
- The 2026 Absolut licensing bet hands shelf space and margin to Pernod Ricard.
- A failed harvest or farmer defection would cripple Ocean Spray's cooperative model and brand supply.
What makes Ocean Spray unique
- 700 farmer-owners across U.S., Canada, and Chile anchor Ocean Spray's cooperative moat.
- June 22, 2026 CEO Abigail Buckwalter arrived from Nestlé Health Science with turnaround credentials.
- Absolut and Ocean Spray's 2026 RTD line extends its cranberry brand into spirits.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
Fertility Treatment Support
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Short-Term Incentive/Performance Bonus
Flexible Work Hours
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Parental Leave
Adoption Assistance
Bereavement Leave
Wellness Program
Employee Discounts
Tuition/Education Assistance Programs
Scholarship Programs for Children of Employees
Employee Appreciation Events
Charitable Giving
Bright Horizons Family Solutions – Back-up care, tutoring, etc.
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 5%1 year growth
↑ 5%2 year growth
↑ 5%Ocean Spray implements scaling, transformation initiatives. September 28, 2026 Agricultural cooperative Ocean Spray Cranberries has hired two executives to help accelerate the company's execution through supply chain optimization and business transformation. Their hiring is among the first major executive team moves under Abigail Buckwalter, who stepped into the role of president and CEO of Ocean Spray in June 2026. Brad Hartzell has been named chief supply chain officer. Hartzell steps in to manage supply chain logistics for roughly 700 family farmers across the United States, Canada and Chile, overseeing distribution to more than 100 countries at the start of Ocean Spray's annual autumn harvest season. He takes over for Earl Larson, who retires at the end of the month after a 22-year career with the Ocean Spray. Meanwhile, Kevin Zidron takes on the role of chief strategy and transformation officer. Zidron will help strengthen how the company combines insights, strategy and execution to drive business growth. He will lead enterprise strategy, transformation, value capture, project management, commercial strategy and insights, aligning these efforts with the company's long-term goals. Please select this link to read the complete article from CGT.
Ocean Spray Cranberries has appointed Kevin Zidron as chief strategy and transformation officer and Brad Hartzell as chief supply chain officer. The agricultural cooperative, owned by roughly 700 family farmers, made the announcements as it enters its annual cranberry harvest season. Zidron will lead enterprise strategy, transformation, value capture, project management, commercial strategy and insights. He previously held leadership roles at Nestlé Health Science, Vital Proteins and Kraft Heinz. Hartzell brings over 25 years of experience in manufacturing and supply chain leadership. He succeeds Earl Larson, who is retiring after nearly 22 years with the cooperative. Hartzell most recently served as chief operating officer at KDC/ONE Development Corporation. The appointments support president and CEO Abigail Buckwalter's priorities to accelerate growth and strengthen operational capabilities.
BAT CMO Luciano Comin to retire after 34 years. British American Tobacco (BAT) has announced the retirement of chief marketing officer Luciano Comin after a 34-year career with the tobacco group, alongside a series of senior management changes that will take effect over the coming months. Comin will step down from his role as chief marketing officer and from BAT's Management Board on 28 February 2027, bringing to a close a career spanning more than three decades with the company. He has served on the Management Board for eight years, including the past three as CMO. BAT has appointed Pascale Meulemeester, currently regional director for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA), as chief marketing officer designate from 1 January 2027. She will formally succeed Comin as chief marketing officer on 1 March 2027 and will continue as a member of the Management Board. Meanwhile, Celina Li will join BAT on 1 September 2026 as regional director designate for APMEA before taking over as regional director and joining the Management Board from 1 January 2027. Li joins from Ocean Spray Cranberries, where she serves as chief commercial officer and general manager, International & Ingredients, and is a member of the company's executive leadership team. Before joining Ocean Spray in 2021, she held senior leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company, including vice president and general manager for its water business and vice president of strategy. She has also worked at AB InBev, Procter & Gamble and Bain & Company. Announcing the changes, BAT chief executive Tadeu Marroco paid tribute to Comin's contribution to the business. "Luciano has made a significant contribution to BAT over the course of his lengthy career. Most recently Luciano has played a critical role in advancing BAT's transformation through strengthening our brand, innovation and consumer-focused capabilities," Marroco said. "He leaves BAT with our sincerest gratitude and I wish him and his family all the very best for the future." Marroco said Meulemeester's experience leading the APMEA region had demonstrated "deep expertise in building brands at scale" and a strong understanding of evolving consumer trends, making her "ideally suited to lead our marketing function as we continue to deliver our strategic transformation". He also welcomed Li to the business, saying her international leadership experience, commercial expertise and track record of delivering growth across North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia-Pacific would strengthen BAT's operations across the APMEA region.
Ocean Spray Cranberries has appointed Abigail Buckwalter as its new president and CEO, succeeding Tom Hayes, who announced his retirement late last year. Buckwalter joins from Nestlé, where she spent more than 15 years, most recently serving as CEO of the company's US health-science division. She initially joined the Swiss giant as a marketing manager in New Jersey. Ocean Spray chairman Peter Dhillon described Buckwalter as "a transformational leader" with the global business experience needed to drive growth and build lasting brands. Hayes, a former Tyson Foods chief executive, joined the cranberry cooperative in 2020. Buckwalter said Ocean Spray is uniquely positioned to meet evolving consumer expectations around taste and health benefits.
Ocean Spray Cranberries has appointed Abigail Buckwalter as president and chief executive officer. Buckwalter brings 20 years of global leadership experience in consumer-packaged goods and healthcare. She joins Ocean Spray from Nestlé Health Science US, where she served as CEO for the past three years, leading an organisation of over 6,000 people and managing a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of global brands. Buckwalter spent 15 years at Nestlé Health Science, working across Europe, Oceania and North America in various leadership roles. Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by roughly 700 family farmers in the United States, Canada and Chile. The company was founded in 1930 and produces over 1,000 cranberry-based products distributed in more than 100 countries worldwide.