Your Opportunity as the Senior Technologist, Product Development
Help create the next generation of sweet baked snacks! Lead hands‑on product development—from concept to commercialization—using food science, creativity, and collaboration to turn consumer insights into delicious products that make it to store shelves.
Location: Orrville, Ohio
Work Arrangements: Onsite 50% or more dependent on business needs. Ability to travel up to 30% or more annually dependent on product launch pipeline.
Provide input and/or ask for direction on parts of projects that impact formulation of the product
Collaborate with cross functional partners including: Brand Management, Insights, Product Research, Packaging Development, Sales, and Operations in early-stage new product design. Assist with designing the brief for product
Design products based on a business need, as defined by consumer insights, a product brief and learning plan, with some direction of their manager
Formulate products based on ingredient functionality, nutritional targets, consumer need, claim substantiation, operational feasibility, and financial targets with limited direction from manager.
Conduct experiments from rapid, iterative prototyping to development and scale-up (benchtop, pilot plant, plant)
Review and interpret data, from process trials, measurements from chemical/physical analysis, feeding studies, storage studies, statistical analysis, providing conclusions and recommendations to technical team
Partner with other disciplines and resources, both internal and external to R&D and JMS, sharing information, building upon an integration of ideas
Compose new and update existing documents such as specs (ingredients, finished product), reports, project updates, data analyses, laboratory notebooks, etc.
Provide expertise to commercialization team to bring new products to market
Learn to assess legal and environmental aspects, and patent opportunities for new products.
Assist as needed in providing innovative ideas leading to the creation of new products, cost savings/efficiency, and solving product related challenges
What we are looking for:
Bachelors degree in Food Science or Bakery Science
2+ years in product development in the CPG industry
Experience in product development, quality, or operations technical support from full-time employment within CPG
Strong working knowledge of basic food formulation and solid understanding of areas related to food formulation such as food safety, nutrition and regulatory, shelf life management, and interaction with processing and packaging.
Familiar with the basics of project management
Effective presentation, verbal, and written communication skills
Comfortable in ambiguous situations
Ability to lift up to 30 lbs.
Ability to travel up to 30% on an ongoing basis (travel frequency dependent on projects and product launch pipeline). Due to the transition of the team from Lenexa, Kansas to Orrville, OH travel may be higher in the first 6 months (Up to 50% at times)
The Right Place for You
We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.
Stay connected with us on LinkedIn®
We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, age, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status.
Skills Required
- Bachelors degree in Food Science or Bakery Science
- 2+ years in product development in the CPG industry
- Experience in product development, quality, or operations technical support
- Strong working knowledge of basic food formulation and understanding of food safety, nutrition, and regulatory
- Familiar with basics of project management
- Effective presentation, verbal, and written communication skills
- Ability to lift up to 30 lbs
The J.M. Smucker Co. Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about The J.M. Smucker Co. and has not been reviewed or approved by The J.M. Smucker Co..
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Retirement Support — Retirement programs are described as strong, with a company 401(k) match, immediate vesting in some materials, and access to an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. These elements contribute to a favorable view of total compensation value.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave for all parents and on-site childcare at key locations signal a family-forward approach. Additional supports such as adoption assistance and pet-related leave reinforce this emphasis.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off, seasonal compressed schedules, and flexibility options are highlighted across materials. The ability to start with substantial PTO and buy additional time enhances perceived time-off breadth.
The J.M. Smucker Co. Insights
What We Do
Each generation of consumers leaves their mark on culture by establishing new expectations for food and the companies that make it. At The J.M. Smucker Co., it is our privilege to be at the heart of this dynamic with a portfolio that appeals to each generation of people and pets with products found in 90 percent of U.S. homes and countless restaurants. This includes a mix of iconic brands consumers have always loved such as Folgers®, Jif® and Milk-Bone® and new favorites like Café Bustelo®, Smucker’s® Uncrustables® and Rachael Ray® Nutrish®. By continuing to immerse ourselves in consumer and pet parent preferences for food, how it’s purchased and how the companies that make it should operate, we will maintain the important role we play in their lives. This will allow us to continue growing our business and the positive impact we have on all of those who count on us.
