MAY 2025: Insider Tips on Launching Your Food Science Career

In this episode, executive search expert Moira McGrath, HP Hood senior manager of R&D engineering Dr. Karunanithy Chinnadurai, and Land O’Lakes quality assurance manager Srinivasarao Bandla share practical advice for starting a career in food science, from choosing roles, fine-tuning resumes, and preparing for interviews to building industry-relevant soft skills and sshowcasing your technical acumen.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT FIRST—Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology. Join food system professionals at McCormick Place in Chicago, July 13-16, 2025, for the industry's premier event connecting innovation, science, and business. Learn more at iftevent.org.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

COHOST

Karunanithy Chinnadurai, PhD, is a seasoned professional in the field of food engineering and product development, currently serving as the senior manager of R&D engineering at HP Hood LLC since May 2020. With prior roles including Product and Process Engineer at Russell Stover Chocolates and Assistant Professor of Food Engineering at UW-Stout, Karunanithy has extensive experience in process engineering, product development, and academic teaching.

GUESTS

Srinivasarao Bandla serves as the Quality Assurance Manager at Land O'Lakes, Inc., where he plays a pivotal role in ensuring the highest standards of quality and food safety for dairy powders and fluids. With over a decade of diversified experience in food manufacturing, Srinivasarao has honed his expertise in regulatory compliance, quality auditing, and food safety protocols, making him a key asset in the organization’s commitment to delivering safe and high-quality products to consumers.

Moira McGrath is president and founder of OPUS International, Inc. Following graduation from Cornell University with a degree in Hotel Administration, Moira focused her early career on hotel and restaurant operations and management. She worked in Atlanta, San Francisco and Ohio until a career change brought her to Florida. Shortly thereafter, she chose to then pursue the field of executive search. After working for others for a few years, she started her own firm in 1993, She and her staff at OPUS specialize in placing scientists in research and development and quality assurance positions with food and food ingredient manufacturers.