Director of Innovation

WHO YOU ARE:

Join our dynamic team as an Innovation Director and lead the way in shaping the future of innovation! We are seeking a visionary leader to drive our research and development efforts, bringing cutting-edge solutions to the forefront of our industry. As the Innovation Director, you will lead strategic initiatives to enhance food safety standards, mitigate contamination risks, and implement innovative solutions for pathogen detection and control by spearheading cross-functional projects, leverage emerging technologies, and establish best practices to safeguard all stages of the food production and distribution process from pathogen contamination. If you are eager to push the boundaries of what is possible and ready to make a significant impact, apply now and be at the helm of innovation with us!

WHO WE ARE

• :The Leader in food-industry-related contract sanitation and food safet
• yOver $1 Billion in sales with an excellent history of organic and acquisition growt
• hOver 16,500 team members throughout North Americ
• aCorporate headquarters in Atlanta, GA with SFCI business centered in North Little Rock, A

R
OUR VISIO

N:To be the leading food safety solutions company that owns the standard of health and safety for our PSSI family and brand protection for our partne

• rs
  Safety: We are committed to the health and safety of our team members and set the standard of food safety for the protection of our customers’ products and bran
• ds.Integrity: We speak with candor, act with transparency, follow through on our commitments and abide by our principles and valu
• es.Team: We respect and value our team members, embrace diversity, and invest in their development through coaching and traini
• ng.Customer Focus: We strive to exceed our internal and external customers’ expectations through open communication, relationships, and continuous improveme
• nt.Achievement: We manage our business to provide opportunities and stability for our team members, and bring value to our customers, owners, and the communities we ser

v

e. WHAT YOU WILL

DO:· Develop and implement a comprehensive innovation strategy to improve food safety and pathogen control across the organization. Identify opportunities for innovation and work closely with R&D, Engineering, Sales, Marketing, Customer Technical Service, and Operations teams to enhance food safety protocols. Your team is approximately 15 people and growing. A field service and support team of nearly 90 exists to drive commercialization and customer technical suppo

rt.· Technology and Process Innovation: Research and implement advanced technologies for pathogen detection, risk assessment, and contamination prevention. Build a sound intellectual property strategy that adds value to Safe Foods Chemical Innovations (“SFCI”) in all 3 phases of our innovation focus – chemistry, equipment/application, and advanced process control. Stay updated on cutting-edge advancements in food safety technologies, such as rapid microbial testing, blockchain traceability, and AI-powered quality contr

ol.· Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local food safety regulations and industry standards (e.g., FDA, USDA, HACCP). Oversee audits, inspections, and risk assessments to identify gaps and maintain complian

ce.· Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner with cross-functional teams, including Product Development, Supply Chain, Operations, and Quality Assurance, to develop and implement initiatives for pathogen control and food safety improvemen

ts.· Continuous Improvement: Establish a culture of continuous improvement by identifying and implementing best practices for food safety management. Lead initiatives for root-cause analysis, corrective actions, and preventive measur

es.· Training and Development: Drive and support training programs focused on food safety and pathogen control for team members at all levels. Foster a culture of accountability and awareness around food safe

ty.· Data and Reporting: Develop and maintain metrics and KPIs to track the effectiveness of food safety initiatives. Present insights and actionable recommendations to senior leadersh

ip.· Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, research institutions, and industry partners, to stay informed on industry trends and best practic

es.· Commercialization: Develop and implement an innovation program that is customer-centric. This requires close collaboration with sales and technical service teams to identify customer issues, develop executable solutions, and monetize the solutions in the marketplace. Collaboration ensures that new products are not just innovative but relevant with benefits that resonate with the targeted custome

rs.· Marketing: Work with marketing to help identify and communicate technical features or unique formulations that distinguish our products, creating a compelling story for marketing to share with consumers. Collaborate to translate technical information into consumer-friendly language, making it easier for marketing to communicate complex science in an engaging w

ay.· Testing: Advance our applications lab to assist our customers in making informed decisions to enhance their food safety programs. Perform needed validations of new food safety interventions, including evaluations of the efficacy and efficiency of existing systems and those in our innovation pipeline. Provide, as part of commercialization, customer-site evaluations / analyses of existing and new technologi

es.
YOUR MUST HA

VES:· Must be 18 years of age or ol

der.· Bachelor’s degree or higher in related fields -- engineering, chemistry, biology, microbiology,

etc…· Understanding of how automation, AI, and machine learning can enhance pathogen detection, tracking, and process efficie

ncy.· Proficiency with statistical and analytical tools (e.g., R, Python, JMP) to support data-driven decision-making and continuous improvem

ent.· Ability to develop and drive long-term innovation strategies that align with the company’s goals and anticipate future challenges in food saf

ety.· Demonstrated experience collaborating effectively with departments like Product Development, Operations, Quality, and Marketing to ensure cohesive, market-ready soluti

ons.· Strong people management skills, with experience building and leading high-performance, cross-functional teams focused on innovation and continuous improvem

ent.· Proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, ensuring timely completion within bud

get.· Ability to translate complex scientific information into accessible, actionable insights for non-technical audiences, including customers, marketing, and regulatory bod

ies.· Ability to cultivate relationships with regulatory agencies, industry experts, research institutions, and technology vendors to stay informed about new developments and best practi

ces.· Curiosity and drive to identify, evaluate, and implement novel solutions in food safety and pathogen cont

rol.· Meticulous approach to safety standards, compliance, and quality, ensuring that all solutions meet the highest safety requireme

nts.· Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, staying responsive to evolving challenges in food saf

e

ty. WHAT WE PREFER YOU H

AVE:· A Ph.D. in Microbiology, Engineering, Chemistry or Food Scie

nce.· Experience in chemical and/or equipment manufactur

ing.· Experience in product formulation, registration of products, and patent fil

ings· Expertise in microbial detection methods, pathogen identification, contamination control, and emerging technologies (e.g., rapid microbial testing, PCR, N

GS).· Strong presentation and public-speaking skills, with experience in representing the company at industry conferences, seminars, and customer-facing eve

nts.· Familiarity with emerging pathogens, contaminants, and risk factors in the food indus

try.· Experience with advanced tools and methodologies, including machine learning, IoT, blockchain for traceability, and data analysis techniques for pathogen track

ing.OUR ENVIRONM

ENT:This position involves work in an office and laboratory setting with travel to other SFCI and customer locations. Periodically exposed to such elements as noise, intermittent standing, walking, pushing, carrying, or lift