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Research Scientist I, Sweeteners - Decatur, IL
ADM
Decatur, IL, USA
USD 49k-91k / year
Posted on Mar 1, 2026
Research Scientist, Sweeteners - Decatur, IL
In this role, you will support the advancement of ADM’s sweetener portfolio, encompassing traditional sweeteners as well as both low- and no-calorie sweeteners. You will contribute to research and development efforts that drive innovation in sweetness systems, sugar reduction technologies, and formulation optimization. Working closely with senior scientists and cross-functional teams, you will assist in developing and characterizing sweetener solutions that deliver superior taste, stability, and functionality across diverse food and beverage applications.
Your work will strengthen ADM’s leadership in carbohydrate and sweetener science by providing technical support, analytical insights, and formulation expertise to internal teams and external customers. You will engage with research partners and industry networks to stay informed of emerging trends and technologies in sweeteners and carbohydrate chemistry. This position offers the opportunity to grow as a scientific resource within ADM, developing your technical skills and contributing to projects that shape the future of sweetness innovation.
Join us and be part of a team dedicated to advancing both traditional and next-generation sweetener technologies.
Key Responsibilities
ADM requires the successful completion of a background check.
REF:106519BR
Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours.
If hired, employees will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.
The pay range for this position is expected to be between:
$49,000.00 - $91,000.00
Benefits And Perks
Enriching the quality of life for the world begins by taking care of our colleagues. In addition to competitive pay, we support your diverse needs with a comprehensive total rewards package to enhance your well-being, including:
#IncludingYou
Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are cornerstones of ADM’s efforts to continue innovating, driving growth, and delivering outstanding performance. We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce and create welcoming, truly inclusive work environments — environments that enable every ADM colleague to feel comfortable on the job, make meaningful contributions to our success, and grow their career. We respect and value the unique backgrounds and experiences that each person can bring to ADM because we know that diversity of perspectives makes us better, together.
We welcome everyone to apply. We are committed to ensuring all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, disability, religion, national origin, language, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law
About ADM
At ADM, we unlock the power of nature to provide access to nutrition worldwide. With industry-advancing innovations, a complete portfolio of ingredients and solutions to meet any taste, and a commitment to sustainability, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional challenges of today and tomorrow. We’re a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company. Our breadth, depth, insights, facilities and logistical expertise give us unparalleled capabilities to meet needs for food, beverages, health and wellness, and more. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we enrich the quality of life the world over. Learn more at www.adm.com.
Req/Job ID
106519BR
In this role, you will support the advancement of ADM’s sweetener portfolio, encompassing traditional sweeteners as well as both low- and no-calorie sweeteners. You will contribute to research and development efforts that drive innovation in sweetness systems, sugar reduction technologies, and formulation optimization. Working closely with senior scientists and cross-functional teams, you will assist in developing and characterizing sweetener solutions that deliver superior taste, stability, and functionality across diverse food and beverage applications.
Your work will strengthen ADM’s leadership in carbohydrate and sweetener science by providing technical support, analytical insights, and formulation expertise to internal teams and external customers. You will engage with research partners and industry networks to stay informed of emerging trends and technologies in sweeteners and carbohydrate chemistry. This position offers the opportunity to grow as a scientific resource within ADM, developing your technical skills and contributing to projects that shape the future of sweetness innovation.
Join us and be part of a team dedicated to advancing both traditional and next-generation sweetener technologies.
Key Responsibilities
- Support research and development (R&D) projects focused on both low/no-calorie and traditional sweeteners, contributing to experimental design, data collection, and analysis under the guidance of senior scientists and commercial colleagues.
- Assist in the development and optimization of sweetener blends—including fructose, sucrose alternatives, and reduced-sugar systems—to achieve desired sensory and functional performance in food and beverage formulations.
- Conduct laboratory experiments to evaluate sweetness intensity, solubility, crystallization behavior, and stability of sweeteners within complex matrices.
- Contribute to research and formulation work across broader food systems—including dairy, bakery, and beverage matrices—to understand ingredient interactions, stability, and functionality beyond sweeteners.
- Utilize analytical instrumentation such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to characterize sweetener composition and performance.
- Participate in sensory and rheological evaluations to assess texture, mouthfeel, and overall product experience in reduced-sugar and traditional formulations.
- Collaborate with process development, applications, and analytical teams to support formulation scale-up and technical troubleshooting.
- Contribute to shelf-life and food matrix stability studies for both traditional and low/no-calorie sweeteners, ensuring accurate data documentation and reporting.
- Assist in preparing technical reports, presentations, and data summaries for internal stakeholders and customer discussions.
- Stay informed on scientific literature, competitive technologies, and market trends related to sweeteners and carbohydrate-based ingredients.
- Maintain safe laboratory practices and support compliance with all safety protocols in research and pilot facilities.
- Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Carbohydrate Chemistry, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
- 3–5 years of experience in food ingredient research or product development, preferably involving sweeteners or carbohydrate-based systems.
- Basic understanding of sweetener chemistry, including both low/no-calorie and traditional sweeteners such as fructose, sucrose, and glucose syrups.
- Hands-on familiarity with analytical techniques such as HPLC, GC, DSC, and refractometry for evaluating sweetener purity, stability, and functionality.
- Experience with sensory evaluation or rheological measurements (e.g., viscometers or texture analyzers) is a plus.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple laboratory tasks and data sets.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and basic statistical analysis software.
- Willingness to learn and collaborate in a cross-functional, team-oriented environment.
- Ability to travel up to 10%.
ADM requires the successful completion of a background check.
REF:106519BR
Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours.
If hired, employees will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.
The pay range for this position is expected to be between:
$49,000.00 - $91,000.00
Benefits And Perks
Enriching the quality of life for the world begins by taking care of our colleagues. In addition to competitive pay, we support your diverse needs with a comprehensive total rewards package to enhance your well-being, including:
- Physical wellness – medical/Rx, dental, vision and on-site wellness center access or gym reimbursement (as applicable).
- Financial wellness – flexible spending accounts, health savings account, 401(k) with matching contributions and cash balance plan, discounted employee stock purchasing program, life insurance, disability, workers’ compensation, legal assistance, identity theft protection.
- Mental and social wellness – Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Colleague Giving Programs (ADM Cares).
- Paid time off including paid holidays.
- Adoption assistance and paid maternity and parental leave.
- Tuition assistance.
- Company-sponsored training and development resources, such as LinkedIn Learning, language training and mentoring programs.
#IncludingYou
Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are cornerstones of ADM’s efforts to continue innovating, driving growth, and delivering outstanding performance. We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce and create welcoming, truly inclusive work environments — environments that enable every ADM colleague to feel comfortable on the job, make meaningful contributions to our success, and grow their career. We respect and value the unique backgrounds and experiences that each person can bring to ADM because we know that diversity of perspectives makes us better, together.
We welcome everyone to apply. We are committed to ensuring all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, disability, religion, national origin, language, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law
About ADM
At ADM, we unlock the power of nature to provide access to nutrition worldwide. With industry-advancing innovations, a complete portfolio of ingredients and solutions to meet any taste, and a commitment to sustainability, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional challenges of today and tomorrow. We’re a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company. Our breadth, depth, insights, facilities and logistical expertise give us unparalleled capabilities to meet needs for food, beverages, health and wellness, and more. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we enrich the quality of life the world over. Learn more at www.adm.com.
Req/Job ID
106519BR