Technologist, Product Development - Research & Development

Your Opportunity as the Technologist, Product Development

Help create the next generation of sweet baked snacks! Lead hands‑on product development—from concept to commercialization—using food science, creativity, and collaboration to turn consumer insights into delicious products that make it to store shelves.

Location: Orrville, Ohio

Work Arrangements: Onsite 50% or more dependent on business needs. Ability to travel up to 30% or more annually dependent on product launch pipeline.

In this role you will:

• Provide input and/or ask for direction on parts of projects that impact formulation of the product
• Collaborate with cross functional partners including:  Brand Management, Insights, Product Research, Packaging Development, Sales, and Operations in early-stage new product design.  Assist with designing the brief for product
• Design products based on a business need, as defined by consumer insights, a product brief and learning plan, with some direction of their manager
• Formulate products based on ingredient functionality, nutritional targets, consumer need, claim substantiation, operational feasibility, and financial targets with limited direction from manager.
• Conduct experiments from rapid, iterative prototyping to development and scale-up (benchtop, pilot plant, plant)
• Review and interpret data, from process trials, measurements from chemical/physical analysis, feeding studies, storage studies, statistical analysis, providing conclusions and recommendations to technical team
• Partner with other disciplines and resources, both internal and external to R&D and JMS, sharing information, building upon an integration of ideas
• Compose new and update existing documents such as specs (ingredients, finished product), reports, project updates, data analyses, laboratory notebooks, etc.
• Provide expertise to commercialization team to bring new products to market
• Learn to assess legal and environmental aspects, and patent opportunities for new products.
• Assist as needed in providing innovative ideas leading to the creation of new products, cost savings/efficiency, and solving product related challenges

What we are looking for:

• Bachelors degree in Food Science or Bakery Science
• 1+ years in product development 
• Experience in product development, quality, or operations technical support from full-time employment
• Strong working knowledge of basic food formulation and solid understanding of areas related to food formulation such as food safety, nutrition and regulatory, shelf life management, and interaction with processing and packaging.
• Familiar with the basics of project management
• Effective presentation, verbal, and written communication skills
• Comfortable in ambiguous situations
• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs.
• Ability to travel up to 30% on an ongoing basis (travel frequency dependent on projects and product launch pipeline).

The Right Place for You 

We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs. 

Stay connected with us on LinkedIn® 

We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, age, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status.