Food Scientist/Product Development Manager

Artisan Bakery; Harrisburg (Dauphin County); On-site; USD 80,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Artisan Bakery is seeking a Food Scientist/Product Development professional with 5-7 years of experience to lead development, renovation, and commercialization of bakery and snack products from concept through launch.

The ideal candidate is hands-on, scrappy, and solutions‑oriented, thriving in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment and collaborating across Operations, Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain to deliver high‑quality, scalable products.

Qualifications

• 5-7 years in product development within a large CPG or food manufacturer.
• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or related field; Master’s preferred.
• Experience in bakery, sweet baked goods, or snacks.
• Hands-on commercialization and plant trials experience.
• Understanding of ingredient functionality, food safety, and regulatory standards.
• Strong project management, organizational, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development projects from bench to commercialization.
• Develop and optimize bakery and snack products from pilot to production.
• Conduct formulation work, testing, and shelf-life studies.
• Collaborate with Operations, Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain.
• Manage plant trials and drive continuous improvement.
• Identify cost optimization while maintaining quality.
• Maintain documentation: specs, formulas, technical records.
• Stay current on ingredient trends, processing tech, and regulations.
• Attend trade events to connect with suppliers.
• Lead build-out of on-site product development test kitchen and equipment.

Skills

Product development

Cross-functional

Project management

Communication

Food science knowledge

Education

Bachelor's in Food Science or related

Master's preferred

Job description

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated Food Scientist/Product Development professional with 5-7 years of experience, ideally trained within a larger, structured CPG organization. This individual will play a critical role in developing, renovating, and commercializing bakery and snacking products from concept through launch. The ideal candidate is hands‑on, scrappy, solutions-oriented, and thrives in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead product development projects from bench formulation through commercialization.
• Develop and optimize bakery and snack products, including scaling from pilot to production.
• Conduct formulation work, ingredient functionality testing, and shelf-life studies.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Operations, Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams.
• Manage plant trials, troubleshoot production challenges, and drive continuous improvement in collaboration with operations team.
• Identify cost optimization opportunities while maintaining product quality and performance.
• Maintain accurate documentation including specifications, formulas, and technical records.
• Stay current on ingredient trends, processing technologies, and regulatory requirements.
• Attend key trade events to keep up on industry trends and ensure connectivity with ingredient and other key suppliers
• Lead the build out of on‑site product development test kitchen.Determine equipment necessary for conducting necessary product development work.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 5-7 years of experience in product development within a larger CPG or food manufacturing company.
• Strong experience in bakery, sweet baked goods, or snacking categories preferred.
• Hands‑on experience with commercialization and plant trials.
• Understanding of ingredient functionality, food safety, and regulatory standards.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work cross‑functionally.

Compensation

Salary Range: $80,000 - $105,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Potential for performance-based bonus and growth opportunities as the company scales.

We offer Medical, Dental and Vision coverage as well as ancillary benefits options (Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Accident Coverage, Critical Illness Coverage, Term Life and AD&D). 401K with a 2% company match.