R&D Specialist

Richelieu Foods Inc. is a leading national private label and contract packing food manufacturer focused on frozen pizza. We have two manufacturing facilities located in IL and WI and provide products to many national retailers, wholesalers, distributors, club and mass stores, as well as industrial accounts including other food manufacturers.

We have a brand‑new position as a Research & Development Specialist to join our innovative Food R&D Team in our Wheeling, IL corporate offices.

• Aid in the development of new products, by applying scientific principles to pizza and meal engineering. Lead all New Product Development (NPD) work and formula changes for select customers with specific focus on National Brand Equivalents (NBE) and cost savings.
• Reformulate existing products for cost, nutrition and quality optimization utilizing sensory and regulatory data.
• Partner with Procurement on cost reduction efforts.
• Create and update internal specification sheets for finished goods.
• Develop and maintain accurate records of laboratory work, including formula, ingredients used, and cooking/processing procedures.
• Aid in the development of processing and technical requirements needed for scale up. Lead process in trial and first production run product evaluations and approvals.
• Translate research findings into meaningful business opportunities and communicate to cross‑functional teams.
• Conduct shelf‑life, sensory and panel tasting, product performance, and quality attribute testing of meals as part of the development process.
• Conduct bakery experiments as needed with internal and external products.

• Preferred experience in using Genesis R&D Food Development & Label Software to generate nutritional information for labeling.
• An understanding of Federal, State, Local laws and regulations of finished good products and FDA label requirements.
• Solid understanding of and passion for food, chemistry, analytical testing, formulations, and processing in food manufacturing.
• Keen knowledge in the use of functional ingredients and in food formulation, preferably in the clean/all‑natural product space.

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Certified Research Chef or equivalent work experience.

• 2+ years’ experience in technical functions. Experience in frozen and refrigerated foods preferred.
• This job description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all‑inclusive list of all the responsibilities and working conditions of the position. While it is intended to accurately reflect the position activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary.

Compensation depends on experience, geographic locations, and other factors permitted by law. The expected compensation for this role is between $65,000 and $77,000. Benefits for this role include medical, dental, and vision insurance, pre‑tax spending accounts, retirement benefits, paid time off, 401K with company match, short‑term and long‑term disability, and life insurance.

Richelieu Foods, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Entry level

Full‑time

Research, Analyst, and Information Technology

Food and Beverage Manufacturing