Research and development

John 

• Senior bioanalytical chemist 
• Conducts research to understand the structure-function relationship of food ingredients 
• At Cargill since 2005, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. 

Why did you join Cargill? 

As I was completing my post-doctoral training in pediatric oncology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., a friend who was and still is a Cargill employee alerted me to an opening in Cargill’s Memphis-based research group. I already knew great things about the company and so I was instantly interested in the opportunity. 

What kinds of problems do you help solve? 

I help customers understand the impact different compounds have on the functionality of ingredients at a molecular level. This information helps determine ways to improve the overall quality of ingredients. 

What’s it like to work in Cargill R&D? 

I love working in R&D because of collaboration across functions, which exposes me to the numerous businesses that make up Cargill, and interactions with customers, which help in driving business-focused innovation and research. 

What keeps you at Cargill? 

I’m motivated by the realization that the technology I am developing has the potential to be translated to a commercial product, which will result in added value for Cargill. I am also fortunate to have strong career support from my immediate manager and the entire research leadership team. 

What might you tell someone interested in an opportunity in Cargill R&D? 

Cargill R&D is expected to play a large and critical role in the company’s overall growth strategy, which has a major focus on innovation. This makes it an exciting time to be a member of the R&D team in one of the largest privately owned companies in the world.