Product Development Specialist
Listed on 2026-10-18
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Manufacturing / Production
Product Engineer, Food Production
At National Food Group, we’re passionate about finding food a home. What makes us unique is the way we get results. It’s the spirit and substance we bring to the task imately, we aim to create a customer experience like no other.
Position:Product Development Specialist
Location: Novi, MI
Job :563
# of Openings:1
Product Development Specialist
- Employment type: Full-time, permanent (exempt)
- Department: Product Development
- Location: Novi, MI – on-site / hybrid
National Food Group is seeking an innovative and driven Product Development Specialist to join our Product Development team in a full-time, permanent role.
This is an exciting opportunity to own the development and launch of food products that serve K-12 students across the country. You will lead assigned line extensions and new products from concept through commercialization, working closely with manufacturing partners, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to bring new ideas to life and continuously improve our existing portfolio. You will also be the dedicated product development partner for our Food Distribution business.
The ideal candidate is passionate about food innovation, curious about consumer and market trends, and energized by turning insights into commercially successful products. You’ll leverage industry research, customer feedback, and market data to identify growth opportunities and develop products that meet the evolving needs of school nutrition programs.
Success in this role requires ownership, strong collaboration skills, attention to detail, and the ability to navigate the technical and operational challenges of product commercialization across multiple manufacturing environments. If you enjoy solving problems, building relationships, and making a meaningful impact through food innovation, we’d love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities- Own assigned line extensions and selected new products for our Zee Zees brand from concept through commercialization and post-launch follow-up.
- Lead formula and flavor development with manufacturing partners, including benchtop sample creation and sensory evaluation.
- Plan, coordinate, and lead plant trials and scale-up with manufacturing partners to support commercialization and continuous improvement.
- Serve as the dedicated product development resource for the Food Distribution business, including product evaluations, parity testing, costing, recipe development, and co-manufacturer projects.
- Identify and evaluate ingredients, alternate suppliers, and manufacturing partners, and recommend reformulation opportunities that support innovation, margin, and supply continuity.
- Validate product claims and ensure products meet K-12 nutrition requirements, including USDA meal pattern and Smart Snacks standards, in partnership with cross-functional teams.
- Maintain specifications and documentation for owned products, and update existing products to accommodate label changes, regulatory updates, and business requirements.
- Partner with Sales, Quality, Purchasing, and Operations to prioritize projects and accelerate speed-to-market.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Dietetics, or a related field.
- Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in food product development.
- Hands‑on experience working with food manufacturers and/or co‑manufacturing partners, including plant trials, scale‑up activities, and commercialization.
- Experience independently leading retail and/or food‑service products from concept through commercialization.
- Experience troubleshooting formulation, processing, or manufacturing challenges during product development and commercialization.
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities with exceptional attention to…
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