Chocolate Process Engineer: Innovation and Scale-Up

pladis Global; Reading (Berks County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

pladis Global is seeking a seasoned Product Development specialist to lead chocolate and confectionery innovation at the Reading site. You will translate concepts into scalable processes, design trials, and guide cross-functional teams to deliver manufacturable, high-quality products.

You will collaborate with R&D, Quality, Operations and external partners, overseeing bench and pilot plant work, data analysis, and SOP development to support product commercialization and shelf-life validation.

Qualifications

• BS degree in Food Science/Technology (MD in Food Science ideal)
• 3+ years of experience in chocolate or confectionery product development
• Sound technical knowledge of food ingredients, functionalities, formulation and processing
• Proven track record in technical roles within food companies
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to work with cross-functional teams
• Passion for science and food; validated product development experience
• Project management experience and ability to drive launches
• Technical problem solving and strong decision-making
• Good understanding of health and safety requirements

Responsibilities

• Translate product concepts into defined process flows and scale-up plans
• Design and execute factory trials with clear protocols and acceptance criteria
• Lead technical readiness reviews for materials, equipment and safety
• Provide hands-on support during commissioning, ramp-up and troubleshooting
• Collaborate with R&D, Quality, Operations and suppliers to deliver manufacturable solutions
• Develop and maintain process specifications, centreline settings and SOPs
• Support shelf-life validation and continuous improvement initiatives
• Contribute to innovation strategy and hand over to regional product teams

Skills

Chocolate product development

Food science knowledge

Problem solving

Project management

Team collaboration

Education

BS in Food Science/Technology

MD in Food Science (ideal)

Tools

Lean principles

Job description

pladis Global is seeking a seasoned Product Development specialist to lead chocolate and confectionery innovation at the Reading site. You will translate concepts into scalable processes, design trials, and guide cross-functional teams to deliver manufacturable, high-quality products.

You will collaborate with R&D, Quality, Operations and external partners, overseeing bench and pilot plant work, data analysis, and SOP development to support product commercialization and shelf-life validation.