R&D Technician

Job Title: R&D / Pilot Plant Technician

Job Description

The R&D / Pilot Plant Technician supports the development of new and improved food products and packaging by providing hands-on technical support across laboratory, pilot plant, and plant environments. This role executes project work requested by the business, focusing on flavor optimization, pilot plant studies, front-end formulation and product development, and new product start-ups. The technician evaluates raw material changes, nutritional content, food safety and claims, cost implications, and production optimization opportunities while consistently supporting, implementing, and maintaining robust food safety practices.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the development, scale-up, and production of new and improved products, packages, and test lot materials through formulation and test kitchen studies.

• Execute project work across key categories including flavor optimization, pilot plant studies, front-end formulation and product development, and new product start-ups.

• Evaluate raw material changes, including their impact on product quality, processing performance, and cost.

• Assess nutritional content and support the validation of food safety and product claims for new and existing products.

• Identify and support production optimization opportunities, focusing on efficiency, consistency, and quality improvements.

• Operate laboratory equipment in a consistent, accurate manner according to approved methods, including blending, mixing, scales, and wet chemistry techniques.

• Measure and analyze sugar, fat, salt, and other key compositional parameters using established laboratory methods.

• Support, implement, and maintain food safety practices in all laboratory, pilot plant, and plant activities.

• Understand and comply with all food safety and food manufacturing policies and procedures, including adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), food safety standards, and quality documentation requirements.

• Document test procedures, observations, and results accurately to support product development decisions and regulatory or quality requirements.

• Collaborate closely with R&D Scientists, Product Developers, and a small team of operators and maintenance personnel to execute trials and pilot plant runs.

• Support senior technicians in project development work and learn from their expertise across multiple types of projects.

• Contribute to a highly collaborative R&D team environment that supports product development for cereal and other business lines.

• Participate in approximately 600 test runs annually in a fast-paced, hands-on setting where priorities and projects may shift frequently.

Essential Skills

• Experience in food product development or formulation (1+ year preferred, which may include academic or industry projects).

• Knowledge of food science principles and their application in product development and formulation.

• Hands-on experience operating laboratory equipment such as blenders, mixers, scales, and wet chemistry tools.

• Ability to perform and interpret analyses related to sugar, fat, salt, and other key compositional parameters.

• Understanding of food safety practices and standards, including adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

• Familiarity with food manufacturing or pilot plant environments, including exposure to processing equipment and procedures (highly preferred).

• Ability to follow approved methods and protocols consistently and accurately.

• Strong attention to detail in executing experiments and documenting results.

• Capability to evaluate raw material changes, nutritional content, and food safety or quality claims within project work.

• Comfort working in a fast-paced, hands-on R&D environment with multiple concurrent projects.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Culinary Science, or another Life Science field (preferred).

• Exposure to pilot plant operations or food manufacturing environments (highly preferred).

• Experience or training in culinary applications, test kitchen work, or product preparation for sensory evaluation.

• Interest in supporting a variety of projects across different product lines, including cereal and other categories.

• Willingness to expand skills across laboratory, test kitchen, and pilot plant settings.

• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to partner effectively with R&D scientists, product developers, operators, and maintenance personnel.

• Flexibility to adapt to changing project priorities and varying weekly workloads.

Work Environment

This is a 6-month contract position with the potential for extension based on business needs and project workload. The role is primarily on-site Monday through Thursday, with typical hours between 7:00-7:30 AM and 3:00 PM. Fridays are generally hybrid and depend on project needs and pilot plant runs, with most Fridays worked remotely and occasional on-site work as required. Weekly hours typically range from 32 to 40, depending on workload, with forecasted work available through the summer, including Friday activities.

The technician works at a North America R&D Center in Lakeville in a clean, well-maintained facility with a strong safety record and no safety incidents reported since opening. The environment includes a combination of pilot plant, laboratory, and test kitchen settings, offering hands-on experience with approximately 600 test runs annually. The R&D team is highly collaborative and supports product development across cereal and other business lines. The technician works closely with an R&D leader, a lead supervisor/trainer, and a small team of operators and maintenance staff, as well as R&D scientists and product developers. The culture emphasizes safety, collaboration, continuous learning, and exposure to a wide variety of projects in a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Lakeville, MN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $22.00 - $24.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: - Medical, dental & vision - Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital - 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available - Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) - Short and long-term disability - Health Spending Account (HSA) - Transportation benefits - Employee Assistance Program - Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Lakeville,MN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 12, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.