R&D Product Developer II

R&D Product Developer II

Location: East Hanover, NJ 07936 Pay Rate: $50.00 - $52.86/hr, paid weekly Schedule: Full-Time | Hybrid | Up to 40 hours per week, standard business hours Duration: 6-Month Contract (07/06/2026 - 12/31/2026) Travel: Up to 20% travel, primarily to California for pilot plant and manufacturing scale-up activities

Overview

The R&D Product Developer II works independently to plan, lead, and coordinate technical projects in line with research and development, marketing, and manufacturing requirements. Reporting to the North America Ventures RDQ Director, this role directly supports the Perfect Snacks brand, driving product development across productivity and business continuity programs. The developer is responsible for everything from bench-top formulation to large-scale plant commercialization, ensuring all activities maintain strict scientific rigor and regulatory compliance.

Job Specifications

Key Responsibilities

• Project & Trial Coordination: Plan, lead, and coordinate pilot plant and factory trials in strict accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and HACCP requirements.
• Product Development Lifecycles: Direct key development activities, including product shelf-life testing, designing for quality, and meticulous consumer test preparation.
• Prototyping & Consumer Insight: Define consumer-desired experiences collaboratively with marketing, utilizing digital simulation models to interpret commercial insights and bringing ideas to life through iterative prototyping.
• Specification Maintenance: Create, update, and maintain highly accurate, consumer-led raw material and finished product specifications.
• Data Synthesis & Rigor: Conduct appropriate testing, gather and analyze data from a variety of sources, and develop technical recommendations to solve complex problems with scientific rigor.
• Stakeholder Management: Manage relationships with cross-functional partners, effectively communicating project status, risks, timelines, and conclusions to influence strategic decisions.

Must Have Skills / Requirements

• Scale-Up & Commercialization: Proven ability to handle multiple projects and manage complexity across the entire product lifecycle—from bench-top formulation to final plant commercialization.
• Technical Rigor & Curiosity: A strong technical foundation paired with the curiosity to interpret complex data, identify food trends, and seek out new manufacturing technologies.
• Cross-Functional Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills to build cross-functional relationships, deliver consumer value at the best cost, and lead technical learning plans.
• Software Competency: Practical skills utilizing the Microsoft Office platform (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Education & Experience

• Experience: Minimum of 3 years of professional experience, preferably within the food industry.
• Education: Minimum of a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.

Benefits (employee contribution):

• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Rate of pay within the stated range will depend on the qualification of the applicant.