Hershey Hiring Senior Food Technologist | BS/MS Graduates Apply Now
Join Hersheyโs Technical Center as a Senior Food Technologist and drive continuous improvement projects across candy, gum, mint, and salty snacks. This role combines food science expertise, process engineering skills, and innovative thinking to enhance product quality, optimize manufacturing, and implement new technologies over a 3โ5 year horizon.
About Hershey:
Hershey, officially known as The Hershey Company, is one of the worldโs leading chocolate and confectionery manufacturers. Founded in 1894 by Milton S. Hershey in Hershey, Pennsylvania, the company has grown into a global brand renowned for its chocolate bars, candies, gums, mints, and snack products.
With a mission to bring sweet moments of Hershey happiness to consumers worldwide, the company operates numerous facilities, including a dedicated Technical Center in Hershey, PA, where R&D, process engineering, and product innovation converge. Food Technologists, Sensory Scientists, Product Development Managers are working in Research & Development (R&D) of the Technical Center. Hershey also emphasizes diversity and inclusion, creating a workplace culture that fosters collaboration, creativity, and growth opportunities for all employees.
Key Highlights:
- Global leader in chocolate, candy, and snack products
- Innovation-driven with a strong focus on R&D and technology
- Committed to sustainability and responsible ingredient sourcing
- Dedicated Technical Center for product and process development
-
Offers diverse career opportunities across manufacturing, R&D, marketing, and operations
Job Overview:
Reporting to the Manager of Enterprise Continuous Improvement Strategy Development, the Senior Food Technologist will develop and lead future continuous improvement projects across Hersheyโs candy, gum, mint, and salty snacks portfolio. Senior Food Technologist role leverages technical leadership, food science, and process engineering experience to identify and implement new technologies and product/process improvements over a 3โ5-year horizon.
Key Responsibilities:
- Candidates getting hired for the role senior food technologist have to lead product and process optimization projects from conception to handoff or implementation.
- Evaluate feasibility, technical requirements, product quality, manufacturing capability, labeling, consumer acceptance, and financial viability.
- Collaborate with R&D, Engineering, Finance, QRC, Manufacturing, and Marketing teams.
- Benchmark industry trends and emerging technologies to enhance cost, quality, performance, and sustainability.
- Design and conduct tests, analyze data, and develop performance specifications.
- Prepare project documentation, reports, and presentations for stakeholders.
- Apply Lean/Six Sigma principles for process improvements.
-
Travel up to 10โ20% for vendor collaboration and project initiatives.
Technology & Process Management:
- As a senior food technologist you will have to identify emerging technologies for strategic growth and cost initiatives.
- Operate plant, pilot plant, and laboratory equipment to implement improvements.
-
Maintain knowledge in chocolate, confectionery, candy, and snack processing technologies.
Education & Experience:
- MS in Food Science, Chemical or Mechanical Engineering with 2โ4 years of experience, or
- BS in Food Science, Chemical or Mechanical Engineering with 4โ6 years of experience.
Required Qualifications:
- Candidates applying for Senior Food Technologist role should have strong understanding of food chemistry, ingredient functionality, and confectionery formulation.
- Experience with product development, scale-up, pilot testing, and manufacturing plant operations.
- Knowledge of sensory and analytical techniques, troubleshooting, and problem-solving.
- Effective interpersonal, communication, and project management skills.
-
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; Lean/Six Sigma experience preferred.
Collaboration:
This role partners with Marketing, Procurement, Planning, Logistics, R&D, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Plant Quality Assurance, Legal, and Quality & Regulatory Compliance teams.
