Product Development Technologist
On-siteHolts Summit, Missouri, United States
Job Summary
Develop and improve breading systems, coatings, batters, and related products with a focus on poultry applications and commercial manufacturing. Conduct deformulation and competitive product evaluations to understand ingredient decks, nutritional profiles, and processing effects. Lead customer presentations, product demonstrations, and post-launch optimization while communicating technical advantages and recommended solutions. Plan and execute bench, pilot, and plant trials; document formulas, process conditions, and results. Partner with Quality, Food Safety, Production, Operations, Sales, and suppliers to scale products and troubleshoot manufacturing issues. Apply a continuous improvement mindset using trial and production data to enhance product quality, consistency, yield, and manufacturability. Evaluate raw materials and supplier technologies including flours, starches, proteins, gums, seasonings, oils, and other functional ingredients. Support plant trials, equipment evaluations, process validation, and technical training related to breading application and food manufacturing. Maintain organized R&D records, formulations, specifications, test results, and project documentation while adhering to food safety, labeling, sanitation, and equipment-safety requirements. Collaborate effectively with customers, sales, internal teams, ingredient suppliers, poultry processors, co-manufacturers, and culinary or technical partners. Occasional overnight travel up to 25% is required.
Required Qualifications
- Ability to sit for prolonged periods of time in front of a computer intermittently
- Consistently required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch and carry items
- Must have visual and hearing acuity
- Ability to use hands and fingers to reach, lift and carry 40 pounds on a sporadically
- Digital dexterity and hand/eye coordination in operation of office equipment including a computer
- Ability to speak to, hear, and understand others via phone and in person in English
- Must able to travel by car and plane as needed
- Must be able to lift 40 pounds
Desired Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Cereal Science, Chemistry, Culinary Science, or a related field preferred
- Experience in food product development, formulation, deformulation, reverse engineering, or commercialization within a food manufacturing environment preferred
- Hands-on experience with poultry manufacturing, further processing, breading application, frying, or related protein processing strongly preferred but not required
- Working knowledge of food ingredients, ingredient functionality, manufacturing scale-up, commercialization, and continuous improvement principles
- Ability to evaluate ingredient statements and nutritional profiles and translate findings into practical formulation and testing plans
- Working knowledge of nutrition labeling and regulatory requirements
- school nutrition, K-12 foodservice, USDA Foods, or related school meal program knowledge is a plus
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, project-management, documentation, and communication skills
- confident, engaging, sales-oriented personality
- ability to present technical information clearly to customers and internal teams
- Must be comfortable building relationships, presenting products, and supporting customer-facing sales opportunities
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