Application Technologist

Mackinnon Bruce; Illinois; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Mackinnon Bruce is seeking a confectionery specialist to turn customer briefs and trends into commercially successful products. You will lead confectionery application projects from initial formulation through scale-up and commercialisation, collaborating with cross-functional teams and visiting customers as needed.

The role requires strong project management, knowledge of gummies, chocolate, coatings, and regulatory labeling, with travel for client visits and industry events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related field.
• Experience in confectionery product development.
• Knowledge of gel-based gummies and sugar systems.
• Regulatory labeling and Kosher/Halal considerations.

Responsibilities

• Develop gummies, nutraceutical gummies, licorice, chocolate, coatings and other confectionery products.
• Create prototypes for customer presentations and trade shows.
• Advise customers on ingredient functionality, processing, and labeling requirements.

Skills

Confectionery formulation

Scale-up expertise

Project management

Regulatory compliance

Sensory evaluation

Education

BSc in Food Science

Job description

Our client is a flavour and ingredients business developing innovative food and beverage experiences through flavour creation, flavour matching and product development. They are seeking a confectionery specialist to turn customer briefs and consumer trends into commercially successful products.

The Role

Reporting to the Manager, Flavor & Applications, you will lead confectionery application projects from initial formulation through scale-up and commercialisation.

• Develop and optimise gummies, nutraceutical gummies, licorice, chocolate, compound coatings, hard and soft candies, chews and related confectionery products.
• Create innovative prototypes for customer presentations, product demonstrations and trade shows.
• Act as a technical partner to customers, advising on ingredient functionality, formulation, processing, labelling and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate flavour delivery, sweetness, masking, texture and colour, troubleshooting formulation and processing challenges.
• Lead pilot trials and support manufacturing scale-up and commercialisation.
• Conduct sensory evaluations and physical and chemical stability testing to assess product quality, potency and shelf life.
• Collaborate with flavour development, sales, marketing, regulatory, quality and operations teams to progress customer projects.
• Stay informed on confectionery trends, emerging ingredients and manufacturing technologies, with domestic travel for customer visits, trials and industry events.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Confectionery Science, Culinary Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Relevant experience in confectionery product development or applications, ideally including commercialisation.
• Strong practical knowledge of confectionery formulation and processing across gummies, chocolate, coatings, candies and related systems.
• Experience with gelatin and pectin gummies, starch-moulded products, sugar-free systems and functional confectionery is preferred.
• Experience incorporating vitamins, minerals, botanicals, adaptogens, caffeine or other functional ingredients is advantageous, particularly alongside flavour masking and sweetness optimisation.
• Ability to support regulatory and finished-product labelling compliance, including relevant FDA and DSHEA requirements and Kosher and Halal considerations.
• Strong project-management, organisational and communication skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities independently and within cross-functional teams.