Does the Innovation & R&D Agent agent replace hiring a Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert?

No. It covers the recurring reporting, tracking and coordination of the role so the work does not stop while the seat is open, then works alongside the person you hire. 3 areas stay with your team, including bench formulation and sensory validation and regulatory and food-safety sign-off.

What can't the Innovation & R&D Agent agent do?

Do any bench, formulation, or sensory work — that's hands-on lab science a person performs. Sign off on food-safety, regulatory, or nutritional compliance. Own the cross-functional relationships that get a product funded and launched. These are the reasons the role still gets filled.

What data does it use?

It reads Tastewise flavor, ingredient & trend intelligence, Global product-launch & claims databases, Menu & foodservice innovation signals, Your portfolio & sales data, Patent / regulatory references. Access is read-only — the agent does not write to source systems or hold approval authority.

What happens when we hire a Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert?

The agent hands over a running system — live reporting, current trackers and full history — and stays on as leverage for the new hire rather than being switched off.

Which role is this agent based on?

Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert at Kraft Heinz, Glenview, IL — a live posting on the Gerento job board. The agent specification is generated from that job description, so the responsibilities it covers are the ones the role actually lists.

Gerento agent · Innovation & R&D Agentdemo

Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert AI Agent for Kraft Heinz

Keeps the Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert role moving from day one — and hands a running start to whoever you hire.

An Innovation & R&D Agent for the Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert role at Kraft Heinz: it mines live demand signal to generate, screen, and prioritize product concepts — keeping the pipeline full of ideas consumers will actually buy.

Live in 14 daysCovers the work 24/7Hands off to your hireYou keep every judgment call

90% fit confidence

Innovation & R&D Agent is a Gerento AI agent specified against Kraft Heinz's open Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert role. It goes live in 14 days, works 24/7, and covers 6 of the role's responsibilities — roughly 4.2× the hours of a single 40-hour hire, at about a fifth of what the seat costs. 3 areas stay human, including judgment, relationships and final decisions.

Time to live: 14 days
Coverage: 4.2×
Responsibilities covered: 6
Stays human: 3

Updated 22 July 2026

Filling the gap until you hire — not replacing the person

Open today
The Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert seat is empty
The work is piling up and the role isn't filled yet.
Live in 14d → through ~4 months of hiring
The agent covers the work, 24/7
It keeps the role moving from day one while you recruit.
Your hire starts
The agent hands off and augments
Your new hire inherits a running start and keeps the agent as leverage.

Coverage from day one — so the work doesn't pile up while you hire. At a fraction of the role's cost.

Always-on coverage for a fraction of what an open senior seat costs you — live in 14 days, working 24/7 while you hire.

Runs at roughly a fifth (~20%) of what the role costs you.

Coverage

4.2×

Always-on vs a single 40-hour hire.

Ramp

14 days

Live and working, not months of onboarding.

Consistency

100%

Same rigor on every task, fully auditable.

Human-in-loop

Judgment calls that stay with your team.

What the agent covers

The role's responsibilities, mapped straight from the job description → how the agent does each.

Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert responsibilities and how the Gerento agent covers each
Responsibility in the role	How the agent covers it
Define and execute an Open Innovation strategy and technology roadmaps that integrate digital transformation and AI capabilities with R&D priorities.	Generates and pressure-tests product concepts against live demand signals, ranking the pipeline by predicted consumer pull and whitespace fit.
Facilitating business and technical decision makers in the translation of strategy into Open Innovation projects.	Generates and pressure-tests product concepts against live demand signals, ranking the pipeline by predicted consumer pull and whitespace fit.
Support IP strategy, evaluate invention disclosures tied to Open Innovation projects, and coordinate with corporate venturing or licensing teams on commercialization.	Generates and pressure-tests product concepts against live demand signals, ranking the pipeline by predicted consumer pull and whitespace fit.
Coordinate rapid and effective response to unsolicited Open Innovation proposals.	Generates and pressure-tests product concepts against live demand signals, ranking the pipeline by predicted consumer pull and whitespace fit.
Design and run Innovation challenges, hackathons, proof-of-concepts (POCs), and partner pilots	Generates and pressure-tests product concepts against live demand signals, ranking the pipeline by predicted consumer pull and whitespace fit.
manage contracts and IP terms in collaboration with legal and procurement.	Turns live demand signal into screened, ranked product concepts with the evidence behind each one.

What the agent can't do — you still need a person for this

We're filling the gap until you hire, not replacing the role. Here's where a human is essential.

Do any bench, formulation, or sensory work — that's hands-on lab science a person performs.
Sign off on food-safety, regulatory, or nutritional compliance.
Own the cross-functional relationships that get a product funded and launched.

Job Description

Job Purpose

As a Principal Scientist, you will lead and scale Open Innovation (OI) initiatives across R&D to accelerate product, process, packaging innovation in the food business. In partnership with the North America R&D Leadership Team, you will manage and govern our External Partnerships and Open Innovation program, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, focus, and budget adherence. You will scout partners, drive agile sprints and proof of concepts trails, and support the implementation of novel technology platforms.  You will act as the OI client manager for the R&D teams and external customers. Interact across business and technical functions at various levels of seniority throughout the company, provide technical knowledge of open innovation best practices.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Define and execute an Open Innovation strategy and technology roadmaps that integrate digital transformation and AI capabilities with R&D priorities.
Facilitating business and technical decision makers in the translation of strategy into Open Innovation projects.
Participate in aspects of Open Innovation capability for the company, to find new or emerging technology and services that can be adapted to provide new product opportunities, or lead to significant cost reduction in operations supporting the digital and food science platforms.
Representing the company’s interests in relationships and joint development efforts with certain academic and industrial partners who can provide technology and know-how that will help address our important needs.
Assisting in negotiating and structuring joint development or license agreements with chosen partners.
Work closely with IP attorneys in negotiating licensing and joint development agreements. Support IP strategy, evaluate invention disclosures tied to Open Innovation projects, and coordinate with corporate venturing or licensing teams on commercialization.
Working with technology brokerage companies to solicit input from outside experts on our specific technical needs. Coordinate rapid and effective response to unsolicited Open Innovation proposals.
Identify and evaluate startups, academic labs, technology vendors, and internal teams with strengths in LLMs, autonomous agents, robotics, simulation, sensory analytics, predictive shelf-life modelling, and Digital Twins.
Design and run Innovation challenges, hackathons, proof-of-concepts (POCs), and partner pilots; manage contracts and IP terms in collaboration with legal and procurement.
Perform a preliminary technical and business assessment of technology to determine whether this should be pursued.

Expected Experience & Required Skills

BS/MS degree in Chemical/Mechanical/Food Engineering or PhD in Food Science with deep technical background in AI or related discipline.
6-8 years of experience in R&D, Open Innovation, or corporate venturing in the food or CPG industry, with 2+ years exploring digital/AI solutions.
Strong familiarity with R&D workflows
Proven track record in building relationships internally and externally and in interacting with senior executives.
Experience with vendor selection, contract negotiations, alliance and partner management and IP frameworks. Working knowledge of technology transfer and intellectual property principles.
Cross-functional influencer — ability to drive collaboration across R&D, digital, legal, manufacturing and commercial teams.
Strategic thinker with pragmatic delivery orientation; able to translate research into scalable products.
Strong communicator who can explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and prepare executive materials.
Experience with corporate venturing, scouting platforms, or challenges-based open innovation programs.
Knowledge of food products and packages and food manufacturing processes.
Self-driven to become up to speed on new technologies.

Work Environment & Schedule

This position is considered a Normal office environment with moderate travel to customer locations, stores, manufacturing facilities, etc.; offices are open workspaces

Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz’ strategy and values.

New Hire Base Salary Range

$104,200.00 - $130,200.00

Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.

The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors

Benefits: Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family’s needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.

Wellbeing: We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families.

Benefits

You’ll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example:

Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments
Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training
Emotional – Employee Assistance Program , Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs
Financial – 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability

Location(s)

Glenview R&D Center

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual…

Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert AI agent — frequently asked questions

Does the Innovation & R&D Agent agent replace hiring a Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert?: No. It covers the recurring reporting, tracking and coordination of the role so the work does not stop while the seat is open, then works alongside the person you hire. 3 areas stay with your team, including bench formulation and sensory validation and regulatory and food-safety sign-off.
How long until the Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert agent is live?: About 14 days from access to first output. Most of that is connecting the data sources it reads — Tastewise flavor, ingredient & trend intelligence, Global product-launch & claims databases, Menu & foodservice innovation signals — and matching the formats your team already works from.
What can't the Innovation & R&D Agent agent do?: Do any bench, formulation, or sensory work — that's hands-on lab science a person performs. Sign off on food-safety, regulatory, or nutritional compliance. Own the cross-functional relationships that get a product funded and launched. These are the reasons the role still gets filled.
What data does it use?: It reads Tastewise flavor, ingredient & trend intelligence, Global product-launch & claims databases, Menu & foodservice innovation signals, Your portfolio & sales data, Patent / regulatory references. Access is read-only — the agent does not write to source systems or hold approval authority.
What happens when we hire a Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert?: The agent hands over a running system — live reporting, current trackers and full history — and stays on as leverage for the new hire rather than being switched off.
Which role is this agent based on?: Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert at Kraft Heinz, Glenview, IL — a live posting on the Gerento job board. The agent specification is generated from that job description, so the responsibilities it covers are the ones the role actually lists.

Want Innovation & R&D Agent built for your team?

We'll tailor it to Kraft Heinz's data, brands, and workflows — and show you a working version.

Illustrative concept generated from a public job posting. The agent covers the role's data, research, and reporting work from day one — filling the gap while you hire and then working alongside the person you bring in. It is not a replacement: people keep judgment, relationships, final decisions, and everything in “what it can't do.” Cost comparisons are illustrative estimates.

Back to jobs

Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert AI Agent for Kraft Heinz

Filling the gap until you hire — not replacing the person

Coverage from day one — so the work doesn't pile up while you hire. At a fraction of the role's cost.

What the agent covers

What the agent can't do — you still need a person for this

The role we're covering

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Expected Experience & Required Skills

The agent's workflow

Data & tools it connects

What stays human

Principal Scientist, R&D – Open Innovation Expert AI agent — frequently asked questions

Want Innovation & R&D Agent built for your team?