Senior Technologist, Product Development

The J.M. Smucker Co.•Orrville, OH

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is an opportunity for a Senior Technologist, Product Development to help create the next generation of sweet baked snacks. The role involves leading hands-on product development from concept to commercialization, utilizing food science, creativity, and collaboration to transform consumer insights into successful products for store shelves. The position is located in Orrville, Ohio, with work arrangements requiring 50% or more onsite presence depending on business needs. Travel up to 30% or more annually is expected, with potentially higher travel (up to 50%) in the first 6 months due to a team transition from Lenexa, Kansas to Orrville, OH.

Requirements

Bachelors degree in Food Science or Bakery Science
2+ years in product development in the CPG industry
Experience in product development, quality, or operations technical support from full-time employment within CPG
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). Due to the transition of the team from Lenexa, Kansas to Orrville, OH travel may be higher in the first 6 months (Up to 50% at times)

Responsibilities

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