Product Technologist
Product Technologist
Location: Reading, PA
Function: Research & Development (R&D)
Industry: Food & Beverage
About the Role
A leading Food & Beverage company is seeking a Product Technologist to join its Research & Development team in Reading, Pennsylvania. This is a hands‑on, impactful role supporting the development, commercialization, and continuous improvement of innovative food products within a fast‑paced and highly competitive environment.
The Product Technologist will play a key role in bringing new recipes, formats, and product concepts to life-working cross‑functionally with R&D, operations, quality, procurement, and external partners to deliver high‑quality, scalable solutions that meet both consumer expectations and business objectives.
This role is ideal for a technically strong food professional with experience in product development and manufacturing who enjoys working at the intersection of science, creativity, and operations.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the development and commercialization of new food products, from bench‑top through pilot plant and factory trials
- Design and execute test runs, including defining protocols, test parameters, objectives, and data‑collection methodologies
- Collect and analyze data from trials, including SPC measurements, analytical results, and shelf‑life studies, to validate product performance
- Provide technical production support for troubleshooting during manufacturing, including processes such as chocolate processing, caramel, tempering, molding, enrobing, and related technologies
- Define visual and product quality standards for new products and support the creation and maintenance of product specifications
- Research, source, and evaluate new ingredients to enhance product quality, performance, cost optimization, or nutritional positioning
- Prepare and maintain product development documentation, including workbooks, bills of materials, preliminary pricing inputs, and commercialization documentation
- Collaborate closely with engineering, production, quality, and procurement teams to support efficient scale‑up, continuous improvement, and waste reduction
- Work with culinary and innovation partners to translate concepts into technically robust, manufacturable products
- Ensure all work is completed in line with GMP, food safety, and health & safety standards
- Contribute to broader innovation and product strategy initiatives through proactive new product development and continuous improvement efforts
Qualifications & Experience
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a related scientific discipline (Master's degree preferred)
- 3+ years of experience in food product development, ideally within chocolate, confectionery, or related categories
- Strong technical knowledge of food ingredients, formulation, processing, and manufacturing
- Experience supporting pilot plant and factory trials and working closely with operations teams
- Demonstrated ability to analyze data, apply scientific methodologies, and translate findings into actionable recommendations
- Proven experience supporting new product launches from development through commercialization
- Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across functions and with external partners
- A passion for food, science, and innovation, combined with a hands‑on, problem‑solving mindset
Preferred
- Experience with Lean / Continuous Improvement principles
- Exposure to categories beyond chocolate or confectionery (e.g., bakery, snacks)
- Experience working within global or matrixed organizations
FAQs
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