R&D Food Technologist

Gorton's; Gloucester (MA); On-site; USD 61,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

Gorton’s is seeking a passionate and technically skilled Food Technologist to join our Innovation Team, supporting the development of next‑generation frozen seafood products. This role will contribute to product ideation, formulation, and commercialization, with a focus on innovation while upholding our commitment to quality, sustainability, and consumer satisfaction.

The candidate will conduct bench‑top formulation, prototype development, and plant trials, develop cooking instructions, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Microbiology, Biology, or related field with >2 years of relevant lab experience in food product development or manufacturing.
• Excellent oral and written communication abilities; able to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with minimal supervision.
• Strong quantitative, analytical, and project management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to tackle new and unfamiliar tasks with minimal assistance.
• Basic culinary skills for creative recipe development and comfort in a product development kitchen.
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work well on teams.
• Experience with experimental design and statistical analysis are a plus.
• Flexibility for early plant tests and willingness to travel (up to 30%).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, formulation software, and data analysis tools.
• Willingness to taste fish and shellfish prototypes and discriminate subtle flavor differences.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Support and potentially lead the creation of new frozen seafood products and improvements to existing products.
• Conduct bench‑top formulation, prototype development, and plant trials.
• Develop and optimize cooking instructions and recipes for consumer use.
• Support multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks for robust development plans.
• Maintain detailed records of formulations, testing protocols, and ingredient specifications.
• Ensure all products meet Gorton’s quality standards, regulatory requirements (FDA, CFIA), and shelf‑life expectations.
• Apply scientific principles and analytical thinking to solve problems and improve products.
• Demonstrate understanding of manufacturing systems, processes, and policies.
• Support production facility tests and process scale‑up development.
• Contribute to ingredient optimization, cost savings, and sustainable sourcing initiatives.
• Continuously seek process and product improvements, challenging the status quo appropriately.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (marketing, operations, procurement, supply chain, finance, sales) to execute initiatives.
• Organize, facilitate, and lead product evaluation sessions, including cuttings and sensory panels, to assess internal prototypes and benchmark competitive products.
• Communicate project status, findings, and recommendations clearly to managers and cross‑functional teams.
• Partner with Quality Assurance and Regulatory teams to ensure compliance with food safety standards.
• Conduct product presentations at sales and management meetings.
• Keep up with new technologies, ingredients, regulations, and industry trends.
• Leverage internal and external data to meet consumer needs and guide decisions.
• Support proper ingredients inventory of the lab for tests and experiments.
• Perform lab management tasks such as cleaning, sorting, and storing lab equipment.

Skills

Lab experience in food development

Excellent communication

Analytical skills

Project management

Microsoft Office

Formulation software

Data analysis tools

Team collaboration

Willingness to travel

Lift up to 50 lbs

Education

Bachelor's in Food Science or related

Tools

Formulation software

Statistical analysis tools

Job description

Position Summary:

Gorton’s is seeking a passionate and technically skilled Food Technologist to join our Innovation Team, supporting the development of next-generation frozen seafood products. This role will contribute to product ideation, formulation, and commercialization, with a focus on innovation while upholding our commitment to quality, sustainability, and consumer satisfaction.

What You’ll Do:

• Support and potentially lead the creation of new frozen seafood products and improvements to existing products.
• Conduct bench‑top formulation, prototype development, and plant trials.
• Develop and optimize cooking instructions and recipes for consumer use.
• Support multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks for robust development plans.
• Maintain detailed records of formulations, testing protocols, and ingredient specifications.
• Ensure all products meet Gorton’s quality standards, regulatory requirements (FDA, CFIA), and shelf‑life expectations.
• Apply scientific principles and analytical thinking to solve problems and improve products.
• Demonstrate understanding of manufacturing systems, processes, and policies.
• Support production facility tests and process scale‑up development.
• Contribute to ingredient optimization, cost savings, and sustainable sourcing initiatives.
• Continuously seek process and product improvements, challenging the status quo appropriately.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (marketing, operations, procurement, supply chain, finance, sales) to execute initiatives.
• Organize, facilitate, and lead product evaluation sessions, including cuttings and sensory panels, to assess internal prototypes and benchmark competitive products.
• Communicate project status, findings, and recommendations clearly to managers and cross‑functional teams.
• Partner with Quality Assurance and Regulatory teams to ensure compliance with food safety standards.
• Conduct product presentations at sales and management meetings.
• Keep up with new technologies, ingredients, regulations, and industry trends.
• Leverage internal and external data to meet consumer needs and guide decisions.
• Support proper ingredients inventory of the lab for tests and experiments.
• Perform lab management tasks such as cleaning, sorting, and storing lab equipment.

What You’ll Need:

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Microbiology, Biology, or related field with >2 years of relevant lab experience in food product development or manufacturing.
• Excellent oral and written communication abilities; able to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with minimal supervision.
• Strong quantitative, analytical, and project management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to tackle new and unfamiliar tasks with minimal assistance.
• Basic culinary skills for creative recipe development and comfort in a product development kitchen.
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work well on teams.
• Experience with experimental design and statistical analysis are a plus.
• Flexibility for early plant tests and willingness to travel (up to 30%).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, formulation software, and data analysis tools.
• Willingness to taste fish and shellfish prototypes and discriminate subtle flavor differences.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

Pay Range:

$60,632 - $71,240/Annual

Who we are:

Since 1849, America has trusted the Gorton’s Fisherman. And for over 170 years, Gorton’s has trusted our employees to work with integrity, pursue their curiosity, respond with agility, work collaboratively, and be passionate about our mission to spread the goodness of the sea by making quality seafood accessible to everyone. We provide a rich opportunity for professional growth, in a fun and collaborative environment, supported by our development and training programs, our generous benefits, work life balance, and the ability to make a difference. We invite you to join our national brand based in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Candidates must have permanent U.S. work authorization.