R&D Production Lead — Pilot Plant & Innovation

Hershey Company; Hershey (PA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellbeing

Financial Security

Time Off & Flexibility

Growth & Development

Job summary

The Hershey Company seeks a Supervisor, R&D Production in Hershey, PA to coordinate product and process development in the pilot plant and lab, ensuring safety, quality, and regulatory compliance while driving innovation.

You will lead CPT staff, manage schedules, partner with scientists and engineers, and oversee benchtop to scale-up activities, with emphasis on GMP and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 1-3+ years in R&D, pilot plant ops, manufacturing, process development, or related technical field.
• Experience supporting pilot plant, manufacturing, commercialization, or scale-up activities.
• Experience coordinating project activities and managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience scheduling and directing technical support resources or hourly personnel preferred.
• Knowledge of GMP, food safety, sanitation, and quality systems.
• Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee daily pilot plant, laboratory, and development activities supporting product and process innovation, optimization, validation, and commercialization efforts.
• Schedule, direct, and prioritize work assignments for CPT employees and other technical support resources to ensure projects are completed safely, efficiently, and according to project timelines.
• Lead the execution of benchtop, pilot plant, plant trial, start-up, and validation activities, ensuring adherence to established procedures, product specifications, and quality standards.
• Ensure laboratory and pilot plant equipment are properly prepared, maintained, cleaned, and operational to support development and production activities.
• Support ingredient management, sample preparation, inventory control, lot tracking, documentation, and data collection required for product development projects.
• Partner with scientists, engineers, manufacturing teams, and other cross-functional stakeholders to plan activities, troubleshoot issues, and advance projects through the development and commercialization process.
• Identify technical, operational, or scheduling challenges and implement solutions to maintain project momentum and operational effectiveness.
• Maintain compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), food safety requirements, sanitation standards, and workplace safety expectations.
• Provide training, technical guidance, and day-to-day direction to CPT employees and technical support staff on equipment, processes, and operating procedures.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, workflow reliability, equipment utilization, and technical execution.

Skills

GMP knowledge

Food safety

Sanitation

Problem-solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science / Food Engineering / Chemical Engineering / Biological Sciences

Job description

The Hershey Company seeks a Supervisor, R&D Production in Hershey, PA to coordinate product and process development in the pilot plant and lab, ensuring safety, quality, and regulatory compliance while driving innovation.

You will lead CPT staff, manage schedules, partner with scientists and engineers, and oversee benchtop to scale-up activities, with emphasis on GMP and continuous improvement.