Manager, R&D Popcorn & Kid Snacking Seasons

The Hershey Company•Lower Swatara Township, PA

18d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager, Popcorn & Kid Snacking, Seasons is responsible for leading the development of new seasoning blends, flavors, and renovation initiatives for popcorn and kid snacking platforms. This role manages a team of 3–4 scientists and technologists and drives all aspects of flavor innovation—from consumer insights and benchtop development through pilot testing, scale‑up, and commercialization. This leader partners closely with Marketing, Consumer Insights, Sensory, Quality, Procurement, Engineering, and Operations to deliver consumer‑preferred flavor profiles, maintain brand quality, and support the long‑term innovation pipeline. The ideal candidate brings strong technical depth in flavor development and seasoning systems, prior experience in salty snacks, and the ability to lead a team in a fast‑paced, innovation‑driven environment. This role is reporting to Sr. Manager, Popcorn and Kid Snacking, and is based at the Technical Center in Hershey, PA.

Requirements

Technical Expertise• Strong working knowledge of seasoning systems, flavor delivery, savory flavor chemistry, and dry blend formulation.
Understanding of salty snack processing—particularly popcorn and puffed/expanded snacks.
Familiar with sensory evaluation, consumer testing methodologies, and data interpretation.
Hands-on experience with pilot equipment and manufacturing processes for seasoning application.
Knowledge of food labeling, flavor regulations, and ingredient functionality.
Leadership & Collaboration• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop technical talent.
Skilled at managing multiple projects simultaneously and maintaining alignment across stakeholders.
Strong communication skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts for non technical partners.
Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive alignment in a matrixed environment.
Mindsets & Behaviors• Highly creative with a passion for flavor innovation.
Strong problem solver with an experimental, iterative approach.
Collaboration-focused with an ability to thrive in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment.
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemical/Food Engineering, Culinary Science, or related field required.
5–10 years of experience in product development, flavor development, or seasoning formulation (salty snacks strongly preferred).
Prior experience commercializing new products or flavors at scale.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred
Experience managing or mentoring technical talent preferred.
Experience managing or mentoring technical talent preferred.

Responsibilities

Flavor Development & Innovation Execution• Lead creation, development, and optimization of new seasoning blends, flavor profiles, and limited‑time offerings for SkinnyPop, Pirate’s Booty, and any other products that fit into popcorn and kid snacking platform.
Drive iterative benchtop development, consumer testing, and sensory learning plans to refine direction.
Translate consumer needs, culinary trends, and category insights into flavor-forward product concepts.
Ensure formulas meet brand standards for taste, cost, labeling, and nutritional requirements.
Own flavor technical readiness within the innovation pipeline.
Team Leadership & Capability Building• Manage, coach, and develop a team of 3–4 scientists and technologists.
Set priorities, oversee workplans, and ensure projects are executed with technical diligence.
Build internal expertise in seasoning systems, ingredient functionality, and flavor delivery technologies.
Foster a culture of curiosity, experimentation, speed, and strong technical rigor.
Commercialization & Cross-Functional Execution• Lead pilot plant tests and manufacturing scale-ups for new flavors and renovated formulas.
Partner with Operations, Engineering, and Quality to ensure seamless technical transfer to production.
Troubleshoot issues related to seasoning application, equipment capability, flavor stability, and sensory variation.
Support cost optimization, productivity, and quality improvement initiatives for existing products.
Strategic Support & Portfolio Planning• Contribute to the annual flavor roadmap and 1–3 year innovation plans for all brands within the popcorn and kid snacking platform.
Identify emerging flavor trends, new seasoning technologies, and strategic ingredient partnerships.
Collaborate with Marketing and Insights to evaluate flavor directions and build consumer‑backed concepts.
Provide technical input into business cases, timelines, risk assessments, and capital needs.