R&D Technician – Product Development

Trillium Foods; Lancaster (Lancaster County); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Trillium Foods is seeking a hands-on R&D Technician to support product development at our Lancaster facility. This entry-level position helps prepare and test food formulations, make samples, maintain accurate records, and assist with plant trials for sweet and savory liquid products.

The ideal candidate has food manufacturing experience and a basic understanding of ingredients, formulas, batching, and measurements. This position is onsite in Lancaster, PA, Monday through Friday.

Qualifications

• Basic knowledge of food formulations or recipes and accurate weighing, measuring, mixing, batching.
• Hands-on experience in a food manufacturing or production environment.
• Ability to follow written formulas and procedures, perform basic calculations, and maintain clear records.
• Attention to detail and willingness to learn; comfortable in lab and plant settings.
• Ability to communicate with team members and ask questions when unclear.

Responsibilities

• Follow formulas to weigh, measure, mix, and prepare benchtop samples.
• Assist with basic formula adjustments and substitutions under supervision.
• Record ingredient quantities, batch details, test results, and observations.
• Support product testing, sensory evaluations, customer samples, and organization of ingredients.
• Help prepare materials and samples for plant trials and scale-ups.
• Collaborate with R&D, Quality, and Operations to observe formula performance.

Skills

Food formulations

Hands-on food production

Formula follow-through

Attention to detail

Team communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate degree in Food Science/Culinary/related

Job description

Employment Type: Full-Time | Classification: Non-Exempt

Position Overview

Trillium Foods is seeking a hands-on R&D Technician to support product development at our Lancaster facility. This entry-level position helps prepare and test food formulations, make samples, maintain accurate records, and assist with plant trials for sweet and savory liquid products. The ideal candidate has food manufacturing experience and a basic understanding of ingredients, formulas, batching, and measurements. The technician will work under the guidance of the R&D team and learn through hands-on experience.

This position is onsite in Lancaster, PA, Monday through Friday.

Key Responsibilities

• Follow established formulas and instructions to weigh, measure, mix, and prepare benchtop product samples.
• Assist with basic formula adjustments and ingredient substitutions under R&D supervision.
• Record ingredient quantities, batch details, test results, and sample observations accurately.
• Support product testing, sensory evaluations, customer samples, and ingredient organization.
• Help prepare materials and samples for plant trials and production scale-ups.
• Work with R&D, Quality, and Operations to observe how formulas perform in manufacturing.
• Assist with troubleshooting basic product or batching issues and communicate concerns to the R&D team.
• Keep work areas, equipment, ingredients, and documentation organized and ready for use.
• Follow food safety, GMP, sanitation, and quality procedures in laboratory and plant environments.

Required Skills & Abilities

• Basic knowledge of food formulations or recipes, including accurate weighing, measuring, mixing, and batching.
• Hands-on experience in a food manufacturing or production environment.
• Ability to follow written formulas and procedures, perform basic calculations, and maintain clear records.
• Attention to detail, willingness to learn, and comfort working in both lab and plant settings.
• Ability to communicate with team members and ask questions when instructions or results are unclear.

Qualifications & Experience

• Entry-level role; approximately 0–2 years of related R&D, batching, blending, quality, or food production experience welcomed.
• Practical experience working with food ingredients and following formulas or batch sheets strongly preferred.
• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate degree, coursework, or certificate in Food Science, Culinary, or a related field is a plus.
• Experience with sauces, dressings, marinades, condiments, or other liquid foods is a plus.

Trillium Foods provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.