R&D Product Developer

• Develop new products and/or upgrade core products to meet consumer needs and business strategies.
• Create innovative new products to be presented to customers and increase presence with potential, new, and existing customers.
• Experience in effective interactions with key customers including preparing, attending, and presenting new product innovations when applicable.
• Define quality standards such as sensory, product performance, food safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Understand fundamental functional characteristics of starch, grain flours, flavors, emulsifiers, and other ingredient forms in food applications.
• Explore and research new ingredients and product concepts so that they can be applied as product improvements, cost reductions, or innovations.
• Leverage collective expertise to suggest improvements to cost of goods, product design and manufacturing, sustainability, and ROI.
• Translate bench top designs to full-scale production products.
• Lead plant trials associated with new product launches.
• Lead product launch process to ensure new products are brought to market smoothly, completely, and in a timely manner.
• Use critical thinking skills to solve complex problems and develop appropriate technical solutions to support production, QA, sales, and customers.
• Collaborate with a cross-functional team comprised of sales, quality, regulatory, production, purchasing and marketing partners.
• Work with sales to provide technical service support to customers.
• Manage and prioritize customer projects with R&D Manager and sales.
• Maintain and organize concise records of all technical and business activities.
• Approach projects with a practical knowledge of HB Specialty Foods products, operational systems, food processing capabilities and impact of distribution chains.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Detailed analytical abilities.
• Ability to work in cross functional teams.

• Bachelors or advanced degree in Food Science, Food Process Engineering, or related field required.
• Two to five years of product development and commercialization experience.

• Must be able to work in a facility that handles allergens including but not limited to: wheat, soy, egg, milk, and tree nuts.
• Must be able to work in open environments exposed to pungent odors and varying climates.

HB Specialty Foods is committed to equal opportunity for all, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. HB Specialty Foods will make reasonable accommodations for known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified employees and applicants with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business. If you are interested in applying for an employment opportunity and feel you need a reasonable accommodation pursuant to the ADA, please contact us at 208-606-7238.