Sr Research Scientist

Sr Research Scientist

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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.

• 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.

• 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)

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

• 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…