Principal Scientist, Salty Snacks & Process Innovation

Hershey Company; Hershey (PA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellbeing benefits

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

The Hershey Company is seeking a Principal Scientist, R&D in Hershey, PA. You will lead complex salty snack product development across popcorn, chips, and baked snacks, guiding formulation, process optimization, and commercialization from concept to launch.

Ideal candidates have 7–10+ years in food R&D, deep expertise in ingredient functionality, and strong cross-functional leadership. The role emphasizes innovation, regulatory compliance, and scalable manufacturing excellence.

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Grain Science, or related discipline.
• Bachelor's degree with 12–15 years of experience considered with requirement.
• Strong technical fundamentals in snacks, food science, and product development.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for salty snack product development initiatives.
• Serve as SME across core snack technologies (popcorn, chips, baked snacks).
• Lead formulation development, process optimization, and commercialization activities.

Skills

Technical leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Problem solving

Communication

Education

MS or PhD in Food Science

BS with 12-15 years experience

Tools

Rheology

Thermal analysis

Microstructure characterization

Job description

The Hershey Company is seeking a Principal Scientist, R&D in Hershey, PA. You will lead complex salty snack product development across popcorn, chips, and baked snacks, guiding formulation, process optimization, and commercialization from concept to launch.

Ideal candidates have 7–10+ years in food R&D, deep expertise in ingredient functionality, and strong cross-functional leadership. The role emphasizes innovation, regulatory compliance, and scalable manufacturing excellence.