At PepsiCo, we support thousands of technical jobs, including R&D, engineering and IT. STEM leaders in these fields create the foundation for our success. Together, they show how science, technology and engineering can unlock creativity that inspires. Don’t take it from us — listen to our associates.
Why should STEM leaders gravitate toward a food and beverage company?
“Our industry is ever-evolving. Being on the forefront of science and technology accelerates growth and enables breakthrough innovation year after year. Additionally, consumers are increasingly health-conscious, taking preventive and proactive steps toward holistic wellness through diet and lifestyle. The demand for functional foods and beverages is driving emerging science. Lastly, the role of science in ensuring a sustainable food system cannot be overestimated — from figuring out how to use water and energy more efficiently, reducing waste along the entire supply chain from farm to fork and shifting to using more sustainable materials. We need to find sustainable solutions to combat these issues, all while ensuring we deliver safe food to billions of consumers across the globe.”
René Lammers
Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer
Purchase, New York
“STEM leaders have a big responsibility: We ensure that we deliver the right products the right way. Our mantra is to design products that are sustainable from the start. This impacts everything — from the ingredients we source, how much water we use, all the way down to how we select the material composition for our final packages. We take this responsibility seriously. We hold ourselves accountable when it comes to human and environmental sustainability.”
Danielle Barbaro
VP PepsiCo North America R&D
New York, New York
“We can shape, address and impact consumer behavior. Whereas other industries capitalize on single products, PepsiCo challenges end-to-end innovation on a vast portfolio of products. We do this by creating sustainable value in agriculture, supply chain and consumer choices. Sustainable consumption is at the forefront of what we do. Working in this field challenges us STEM Leaders to create holistic business strategies that create value.”
Demi Oyeniyi
Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor
Houston, Texas
“I worked at four tech companies before joining PepsiCo. Obviously, STEM leaders can have impact at tech companies. But they can have an even bigger impact at a food and beverage company. Here’s why: Food and beverages are enjoyed by everyone. A billion people enjoy our products every day. As one of the STEM leaders at PepsiCo, I work on technology that helps make that happen every day.”
Angelica Arceneaux
Director of Information Technology
Prosper, Texas
What’s the most meaningful project you’ve worked on at PepsiCo?
“The development of bubly – a flavored sparkling water that resonates across demographics. We created a unique, compelling, fun brand in a competitive space. I’m proud to have been part of a product that continues to grow, transform our portfolio and help deliver on our human sustainability goals.”
Danielle Barbaro
VP PepsiCo North America R&D
New York, New York
“I am so proud of all the work the PepsiCo R&D team has accomplished. One recent example is the launch of an industrially compostable snack bag made with non-food, plant-based materials for our Off the Eaten Path brand. Kudos to the team that continued to push the boundaries for more than a decade on this journey. Although there is a lot of work still to be done in this space, it is important for us to celebrate milestones like these that help our company move one step closer to building a stronger and more sustainable future.”
René Lammers
Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer
Purchase, New York
“In 2021, I led a project to conserve the use of our raw materials, particularly carbon dioxide and nitrogen. In line with pep+’s top Holistic Cost Management priority, my team and I reduced our gas waste loss by 59%, surpassing our annual targets. This project was especially meaningful to me because of its impact on transforming the way we conduct business. It perfectly incorporates sustainable practices in our daily operations.”
Demi Oyeniyi
Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor
Houston, Texas
“I’m currently working on a project that will lead to a state-of-the-art cloud platform. This will allow for digital planning and reporting to track our goals around sustainability.”
Angelica Arceneaux
Director of Information Technology
Prosper, Texas
What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing at PepsiCo? How are you working to overcome it?
“The biggest challenge I face at PepsiCo has also provided the biggest opportunity for growth and value creation: digitizing our operations through data and analytics. The structure of our operations function does not rely on modern technology to drive business decisions. At my location, I have led several transformation projects and initiatives to standardize our systems. My team and I review data inputs daily to ensure accuracy and integrity. Our goal is to simplify our operations and improve our efficiency through data and analytics.”
Demi Oyeniyi
Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor
Houston, Texas
“PepsiCo is a global company with a large and complex portfolio of products. One of the biggest challenges of any global company at this scale is staying focused on the right priorities: investing in our capabilities, driving transformation, creating a distinct and ownable competitive advantage, meeting and surpassing key sustainability targets, and delivering on consumer preferences.”
René Lammers
Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer
Purchase, New York
“At PepsiCo, constraints are an invitation. They invite us to prioritize innovation and transformation. Collaborating with our trusted business partners helps identify how to deliver the biggest impact on our business and the consumers we serve.”
Danielle Barbaro
VP PepsiCo North America R&D
New York, New York
“Technology is changing faster than ever before. That means we need to keep evolving with it to be even faster and better. Personally, I allocate time each week to educate myself and set up workstreams that leverage new tools and technology.”
Angelica Arceneaux
Director of Information Technology
Prosper, Texas
What’s your favorite part about doing STEM at PepsiCo?
“I have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology and some of the most talented people across the globe. What we do is a part of something special: People all around the world enjoy our products each and every day.”
Angelica Arceneaux
Director of Information Technology
Prosper, Texas
“One of the most engaging aspects of STEM and my role here at PepsiCo is that I get to help build a best-in-class R&D organization with truly diverse talent. Every day, I get to work with and learn from exceptional scientists that not only have premier functional excellence but are also transforming the future of science and technology as we know it.”
René Lammers
Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer
Purchase, New York
“I’m always learning. As R&D, we continue to learn as technology and science evolves. We then become better scientists and engineers to deliver the best products in the marketplace. Our opportunities are limitless.”
Danielle Barbaro
VP PepsiCo North America R&D
New York, New York
“The key highlight of being a STEM leader at PepsiCo is the exposure to an end-to-end business strategy. I am constantly required to integrate various functions of our business, which has allowed me to collaborate with talented individuals across different groups and locations.”
Demi Oyeniyi
Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor
Houston, Texas
