Sr. Research Scientist

The Hershey Company; Hershey (PA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hershey Company in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is seeking a Senior Research Scientist to lead innovation initiatives in product development. This role involves managing multiple projects with a focus on confection and chocolate formulations, interacting closely with cross-functional teams.

The ideal candidate will possess strong knowledge in technical areas and effective communication skills, with the ability to influence project directions. A master's degree in a related field is required, along with relevant industry experience. Approximately 20% travel is expected.

Qualifications

• Experience leading innovation initiatives including product development.
• Knowledge in confection and chocolate process platforms.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple medium complexity projects in product development.
• Drive product innovation through formulation and ingredient development.
• Communicate project challenges to senior leadership.

Skills

Product innovation

Confection and chocolate formulation

Technical project management

Problem solving

Excellent communication

Education

MS in Food Science or related field with 2-4 years experience

BS in Food Science or related field with 4-6 years experience

Job description

Sr Research Scientist

Note: If you apply for a role at Hershey through our career's website, we may use technologies that use automation to filter your candidacy based on objective criteria. We also use AI-enabled tools that help us facilitate the selection of our future Hershey talent. These tools may help with activities such as matching and scoring candidates to roles based on requirements and scheduling interviews. These systems process only the information you provide in your application, including your resume, work history, education, and responses to screening questions. While these technologies assist with certain steps in our recruitment process and may provide recommendations, all final decisions, including those affecting whether candidates advance to subsequent stages in the applicant process, are made by our talent acquisition teams with meaningful human review and independent judgment. Depending on your location and the specific role you apply for, additional disclosures about our use of AI in recruitment may be provided to you separately.

Summary

Reporting to the Sr Manager R&D and residing at The Hershey Company's Technical Center, the Senior Research Scientist position provides project leadership on multiple medium complexity projects and/or beginning to lead a program with support. This could include a high number of low to medium complexity projects that drive leadership complexity. A medium to high level of autonomy on medium complexity projects and low to medium level of autonomy for high complexity projects is required. This individual is beginning to teach others technical knowledge in some spaces and has a focus on developing technical breadth. A successful candidate is communicating project and/or program challenges to senior leadership with the ability to have some influence on project/program direction through cross-functional communication.

Specific Role Focus Area

• Leveraging knowledge and experience to drive product innovation. These areas include formulation development, ingredient development and product transformation interactions.
• Perform prototyping and development from bench top to pilot plant to full manufacturing scale.
• Leading technical project management aspects through the product development stage gate process interacting closely with a cross functional group of technical, professional, and managerial staff of R&D, as well as production, engineering, and marketing.
• Understand the business impact of the projects.
• Apply technical rigor and scientific principles and practices.
• Provide input for technical feasibility for new product concepts.
• Partnering with Supply Chain to provide technical support to drive quality and value improvement in products and processes.

This Role Will Interact and Partner With

• Technical and professional employees within Global R&D (including Ingredient/Recipe Specialists, Sensory, and Packaging Innovation)
• Manufacturing, Operations and Plant Quality Assurance
• Quality and Regulatory Compliance (including Analytical and Micro)
• Procurement
• Marketing
• R&D Technology Development team
• Engineering (including Product Commercialization, and Plant)
• External Vendors (including Ingredient Vendors, Equipment Vendors, and Co-Manufactures)

Travel Requirements

Approximately 20% travel required, primarily within the US, but including occasional international travel.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Experience leading innovation initiatives, which could include product development, quality improvement, cost improvement, technology validation and process optimization.
• Demonstrated knowledge in confection and chocolate formulation and recipe development.
• Demonstrated experience in confection and chocolate process platforms (moulding, enrobing, panning).
• Preferred experience in "better for you" ingredients and formulation (alternative sweeteners, proteins, fibers, functional ingredients).
• Strong knowledge of various technical disciplines (Sensory, Research, Engineering and Packaging).
• Knowledge of key steps in the development of capital projects, including commercialization, equipment selection, creation of TFD's, equipment acquisition, commissioning and start-up of process equipment and systems, and troubleshooting.
• Understanding of the impact of the key processing parameters in the conversion of raw ingredient and in-process material to finished product and critical for the day-to-day operation of a line.
• Demonstrated influencing skills.
• Proven administrative ability, decision-making skills, financial understanding, business integration skills and technical expertise.
• Demonstrated problem solving and evaluation capabilities.
• Excellent troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be open to and comfortable with change.
• The candidate must be able to work independently, and as part of a team in a fast‑paced, growth‑oriented business.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Education and Experience: Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Chemistry, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or Biology; MS with 2–4 years' experience or BS with 4–6 years' experience.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans.

You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application process as a result of a disability. You can request an accommodation via phone or email.

To request an accommodation via phone, please call [phone] and leave a voicemail with your contact information. You may also email a request for accommodation to [e-mail]. Please be sure to include "Accommodation Needed" in the subject line. This will ensure that your email is routed to the appropriate contact who will handle your request.

Nearest Major Market: Harrisburg