R&D Technologist

Gorton's•Gloucester, MA

3d•$60,632 - $71,240

About The Position

Position Summary: Gorton’s is seeking a passionate and technically skilled Associate Food Technologist to join our Innovation Team, supporting the development of next-generation frozen seafood products. This role will contribute to product ideation, formulation, and commercialization, with a focus on innovation while upholding our commitment to quality, sustainability, and consumer satisfaction.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Microbiology, Biology, or related field with >2 years of relevant lab experience in food product development or manufacturing.
Excellent oral and written communication abilities; able to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively with minimal supervision.
Strong quantitative, analytical, and project management skills.
Demonstrated ability to tackle new and unfamiliar tasks with minimal assistance.
Basic culinary skills for creative recipe development and comfort in a product development kitchen.
Good interpersonal skills and ability to work well on teams.
Willingness to taste fish and shellfish prototypes and discriminate subtle flavor differences.
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
Flexibility for early plant tests and willingness to travel (up to 30%).
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, formulation software, and data analysis tools.

Nice To Haves

Experience with experimental design and statistical analysis are a plus.

Responsibilities

Support and potentially lead the creation of new frozen seafood products and improvements to existing products.
Conduct bench-top formulation, prototype development, and plant trials.
Develop and optimize cooking instructions and recipes for consumer use.
Support multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks for robust development plans.
Maintain detailed records of formulations, testing protocols, and ingredient specifications.
Ensure all products meet Gorton’s quality standards, regulatory requirements (FDA, CFIA), and shelf-life expectations.
Apply scientific principles and analytical thinking to solve problems and improve products.
Demonstrate understanding of manufacturing systems, processes, and policies.
Support production facility tests and process scale-up development.
Contribute to ingredient optimization, cost savings, and sustainable sourcing initiatives.
Continuously seek process and product improvements, challenging the status quo appropriately.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams (marketing, operations, procurement, supply chain, finance, sales) to execute initiatives.
Organize, facilitate, and lead product evaluation sessions, including cuttings and sensory panels, to assess internal prototypes and benchmark competitive products.
Communicate project status, findings, and recommendations clearly to managers and cross-functional teams.
Partner with Quality Assurance and Regulatory teams to ensure compliance with food safety standards.
Conduct product presentations at sales and management meetings.
Keep up with new technologies, ingredients, regulations, and industry trends.
Leverage internal and external data to meet consumer needs and guide decisions.
Support proper ingredients inventory of the lab for tests and experiments.
Perform lab management tasks such as cleaning, sorting, and storing lab equipment.