Christopher Ray

Senior Scientist at The J.M. Smucker Company

Orrville, Ohio, United States

About

A graduate of The University of Akron and former member of the Williams Honors College, I completed my Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering as well as minors in Applied Mathematics and Chemistry in the Spring 2016 semester. I completed four co-operative education terms with the J.M. Smucker Company over the course of my collegiate career. These terms included working with Folgers Coffee (in various roles such as R&D and process engineering) as well as working with Eagle Family Foods in El Paso, TX (focusing primarily on service in a process engineering - operations role). Upon graduation from the University of Akron, I began working full-time as a Process Engineer in Foodservice R&D with the J.M. Smucker Company (primarily supporting the liquid coffee pilot plant operations) before transitioning into an engineering role within Consumer Foods R&D, Uncrustables.

Experience

  • The J.M. Smucker Co. (13 yrs 3 mos)
    • Sr. Scientist (Engineering)
      Nov 2024 - Present · 1 yr 9 mos

      Sweet Baked Snacks - R&D Lead the development, scale-up, and commercialization of Innovation, Renovation & Value Engineering initiatives. Additionally, develop commissioning plans and lead commissioning efforts while supporting Operations with qualification of new product & process technologies, including improving existing process technologies.

    • Senior Engineer, Process (TSO)
      Mar 2022 - Nov 2024 · 2 yrs 9 mos

      Work with the cross functional project team, both internally and externally to design, construct, staff, and startup the new greenfield Uncrustables plant in McCalla, AL. This includes support for the design, procurement, and construction for Bakery related processing equipment.

    • Sr. Technologist (Engineering)
      Jun 2019 - Mar 2022 · 2 yrs 10 mos

      Consumer Foods R&D, Uncrustables Responsibilities in this role include R&D assistance with a new plant start-up in Colorado, contributions to new innovation, process design, as well as execution of new product launches.

  • Undergraduate Researcher at The University of Akron
    Oct 2011 - May 2016 · 4 yrs 8 mos

    Work was completed on studies directed at enzyme production for the hydrolysis of biomass materials. Some results have been summarized in the co-authored paper Nutrient Control for Stationary Phase Cellulase Production in Trichoderma reesei Rut C-30.