R&D Food Scientist

Sterling Engineering; Thornton Township (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering in Illinois is seeking an R&D Specialist to join our team and play a hands-on role in new product development, formulation optimization, manufacturing scale-up, and process improvement.

This position offers opportunities to work in both the lab and the manufacturing floor, driving improvements from concept to commercialization and delivering tangible value across ingredients and processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science or related field.
• 2+ years of food product development experience.
• Experience scaling up products in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and improve food formulations and products.
• Execute laboratory experiments and sensory evaluations.
• Support product development from concept through commercialization.
• Analyze experimental data and use findings to guide development decisions.
• Support product scale-up from the laboratory to full-scale manufacturing.
• Partner with Operations and Quality to troubleshoot product and process challenges.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Organizational skills

Project management

Written & verbal communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Materials Science, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Job description

A growing food manufacturing organization is looking for an R&D Specialist to join their team and play a hands-on role in new product development, formulation optimization, manufacturing scale-up, and process improvement.

This is a great opportunity for someone with food product development experience who enjoys working in both the lab and manufacturing environment.

What You’ll Do:

• Develop, test, and improve food products and formulations
• Execute laboratory experiments and sensory evaluations
• Support new product development from concept through commercialization
• Analyze experimental data and use findings to guide development decisions
• Support product scale-up from the laboratory to full-scale manufacturing
• Partner with Operations and Quality to troubleshoot product and process challenges
• Identify opportunities for product, process, and cost improvements
• Maintain formulations, test results, technical documentation, and laboratory records

What We’re Looking For:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Materials Science, or a related field
• 2+ years of food product development experience
• Experience supporting or executing new product scale-up in a manufacturing environment
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint