Product Development Technologist

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGIST

Reports to: Director, Quality and R&D

FLSA Status: Exempt

SUMMARY

The Product Development Technologist will support research, development, reverse engineering, commercialization, and continuous improvement of breading systems and related food products for PFS Blends. This is a customer-facing role that combines technical product development with strong presentation and sales skills. The role will evaluate competitive products, develop and improve formulations, support customer presentations and product demonstrations, and work with cross-functional teams to move products from bench development through plant scale-up and commercialization. Poultry manufacturing and breaded food system experience are important to success in this role.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Research, Development & Reverse Engineering:

• Develop and improve breading systems, coatings, batters, predusts, seasonings, marinades, and related products, with a focus on poultry applications and commercial manufacturing.
• Conduct deformulation and competitive product evaluations to understand ingredient decks, nutritional profiles, ingredient functionality, processing effects, and product performance.
• Lead and support customer presentations, product demonstrations, sample reviews, commercialization meetings, and post-launch product optimization; clearly communicate product benefits, technical advantages, and recommended solutions.
• Use reverse-engineering findings to build formulation hypotheses and prototypes that meet sensory, cost, nutrition, labeling, and manufacturing targets.
• Plan and execute bench, pilot, and plant trials; document formulas, process conditions, results, and recommendations.
• Partner with Quality, Food Safety, Production, Operations, Sales, and suppliers to scale products, support commercialization, and troubleshoot manufacturing issues.
• Apply a continuous improvement mindset by using trial and production data to improve product quality, consistency, yield, cost, and manufacturability.
• Evaluate raw materials and supplier technologies used in breading and coating systems, including flours, starches, proteins, gums, seasonings, oils, and other functional ingredients.

Technical & Cross-Functional Responsibilities:

• Support plant trials, equipment evaluations, process validation, and technical training related to breading application and food manufacturing.
• Assist with inbound product audits, competitive evaluations, sample preparation and testing, and development of practical testing criteria.
• Maintain organized R&D records, formulations, specifications, test results, and project documentation while following food safety, labeling, sanitation, and equipment-safety requirements.
• Collaborate effectively with customers, sales, internal teams, ingredient suppliers, poultry processors, co-manufacturers, and culinary or technical partners; build strong relationships and perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, experience, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Cereal Science, Chemistry, Culinary Science, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• Experience in food product development, formulation, deformulation, reverse engineering, or commercialization within a food manufacturing environment preferred.
• Hands-on experience with poultry manufacturing, further processing, breading application, frying, or related protein processing strongly preferred but not required.
• Working knowledge of food ingredients, ingredient functionality, manufacturing scale-up, commercialization, and continuous improvement principles.
• Ability to evaluate ingredient statements and nutritional profiles and translate findings into practical formulation and testing plans.
• Working knowledge of nutrition labeling and regulatory requirements; school nutrition, K-12 foodservice, USDA Foods, or related school meal program knowledge is a plus.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, project-management, documentation, and communication skills, with a confident, engaging, sales-oriented personality and the ability to present technical information clearly to customers and internal teams. Must be comfortable building relationships, presenting products, and supporting customer-facing sales opportunities.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Position requires occasional overnight travel, up to 25%.
• Work is typically performed in normal office conditions with some manufacturing exposure.
• Some work is performed in a general food production and manufacturing environment with exposure to machine noise, and ingredient and finished product dust and residues.
• Additional PPE are required for some tasks in the manufacturing environment. Uniforms with long pants, long sleeve shirts, and closed toed shoes are required along with hair and beard coverings. 
• Frequent exposure to several food allergens that are present in the facility and used daily.
• Employee will be exposed to extreme temperatures at times, from warehouse to freezer, which is -10 to 40 degrees.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time in front of a computer intermittently
• Consistently required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch and carry items
• Must have visual and hearing acuity
• Ability to use hands and fingers to reach, lift and carry 40 pounds on a sporadically
• Digital dexterity and hand/eye coordination in operation of office equipment including a computer
• Ability to speak to, hear, and understand others via phone and in person in English
• Must able to travel by car and plane as needed