Job Location: Hershey, PA
How will you fit in the big picture?The Staff Scientist, R&D - Fried Snacks is a key technical leader within Hershey's salty snacks business, advancing innovation, renovation, and productivity initiatives across tortilla chips, potato chips, and other fried snack platforms. Reporting to the Sr. Manager, Popcorn and Kid Snacking, this role serves as a subject matter expert in fried snack technology and helps shape the long-term technical roadmap for the category. Based at the Hershey Technical Center, you will collaborate across R&D, Operations, Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Marketing, Consumer Insights, and Sensory to bring winning products to market and drive manufacturing excellence.
What will you do?- Lead complex product and process development projects from concept through commercialization.
- Serve as the technical expert in fried snack technologies including tortilla chips, potato chips, extruded snacks, and pellet-based products.
- Design and execute laboratory, pilot plant, and manufacturing trials using sound experimental design and statistical analysis.
- Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve manufacturing challenges related to dough systems, masa processing, potato processing, frying operations, seasoning application, and shelf-life performance.
- Drive process optimization through expertise in frying science, including heat transfer, oil management, moisture control, oxidation, filtration, and acrylamide mitigation.
- Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Marketing, Consumer Insights, and Sensory teams to deliver business objectives.
- Provide technical mentorship and guidance to junior scientists and development teams.
- Support capability-building initiatives that strengthen Hershey's salty snack innovation pipeline and manufacturing network.
- Travel approximately 15-30% to support plant trials, supplier visits, and testing activities.
Minimum RequirementsExperience:- BS, MS, or PhD with 5+ years of relevant experience in food science, food engineering, chemical engineering, or a related field, aligned to T50 career-level expectations.
- Strong experience in fried snacks, preferably including tortilla chips, potato chips, extruded snacks, or related categories.
- Demonstrated success commercializing products from benchtop development through plant startup.
- Experience designing and executing pilot plant and manufacturing trials.
- Knowledge of statistical analysis, DOE, process optimization, sensory evaluation, and consumer learning.
- Proven ability to lead technical problem-solving within manufacturing environments.
- Experience influencing cross-functional teams and leading complex technical projects independently.
Education:- Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Benefits and PerksAt Hershey, we offer competitive pay and a comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your wellbeing, financial security, and life outside of work.
- Health & Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus wellness programs that support your physical and mental health
- Financial Security: Competitive pay, annual incentive opportunities, and a 401(k) with company match
- Time Off & Flexibility: Paid time off, company holidays, and flexible ways of working where applicable
- Growth & Development: Career development programs, learning opportunities, and internal mobility
Benefits may vary based on role, location, and eligibility.
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