Associate Product Development Scientist

Nature's Sunshine Products • Lehi, UT

3d

About The Position

The Product Development Scientist supports the Research & Development team in the design, development, and improvement of dietary supplement products from concept through commercialization. This role plays a key part in formulation development, benchtop testing, documentation, and cross-functional coordination throughout the stage-gate process.
Working closely with Regulatory, Quality Assurance, Operations, and Marketing, this individual helps ensure products are scientifically sound, manufacturable, compliant, and aligned with company standards. This is a highly collaborative role ideal for candidates looking to build strong technical formulation skills, gain exposure to the full product development lifecycle, and grow within a cross-functional product organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Nutrition, or a related scientific field
• 0–3 years of product development, formulation, or laboratory experience (supplements, food, or CPG preferred)
• Familiarity with laboratory practices, formulation documentation, and basic analytical or benchtop testing
• Understanding of product development lifecycles and cross-functional collaboration
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and documentation accuracy
• Ability to balance independent work with effective collaboration
• Interest in wellness, science-based supplements, and purpose-driven products

Responsibilities

• Support the design and development of new products and reformulations from concept through commercialization.
• Assist in ingredient selection, formula development, and optimization to meet product performance, quality, and cost targets.
• Prepare benchtop samples for internal evaluation, sensory testing, and market acceptability.
• Document formulation changes and technical learnings throughout development.
• Analyze product formulations, specifications, and manufacturing complexity to support portfolio performance and lifecycle decisions.
• Support product initiatives through the stage-gate process by preparing and maintaining accurate techsheet documentation.
• Draft and update specifications for raw materials, intermediates, and finished products.
• Maintain organized, accurate, and complete records of formulations, taste testing results, and development activities.
• Ensure all formula and item data is accurately entered and maintained.
• Support transfer of products from benchtop to pilot and commercial scale in collaboration with Manufacturing and QA.
• Assist with process optimization, scale-up activities, and production trial support.
• Participate in troubleshooting formulation, processing, or quality issues and help implement effective corrective actions.
• Partner with Regulatory to support compliant formulation design and documentation.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance to ensure product quality, specifications, and testing requirements are met.
• Work with Manufacturing and Supply Chain to support ingredient sourcing, manufacturability, and production readiness.
• Partner with the Label Coordinator, Regulatory, and Marketing to ensure product labels accurately reflect the formulation, specifications, and overall product design.
• Contribute ideas for improving formulations, processes, documentation, and workflows.
• Stay current on ingredient trends, formulation technologies, and scientific developments relevant to supplements.
• Maintain relationships with ingredient suppliers and attend supplier meetings to learn about new ingredient offerings and applications.
• Build technical competency, problem-solving skills, and cross-functional effectiveness.
• Demonstrate ownership, curiosity, and a commitment to learning within a fast-paced R&D environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees