R&D / Product Development Technician

About the role

This is an hourly, non-exempt position starting at 7:30 AM, Monday through Friday, at Don’s Prepared Foods’ Schwenksville, PA manufacturing plant. The R&D / Product Development Technician supports the Research & Development Manager by independently executing technical, organizational, and hands-on assignments. Prior product-development, food laboratory, culinary, quality, or food-manufacturing experience is preferred; strong early-career candidates with relevant education and demonstrated aptitude are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

Bench Development and Lab Operations

• Execute bench development after the Research & Development Manager creates the initial formula: retrieve and organize ingredients, prepare directed product iterations, and document every change accurately.
• Set up and clean bench trials; wash and sanitize equipment; maintain organized ingredients, packaging, samples, small equipment, refrigerator, freezer, and work areas.
• Prepare product samples when suitable production samples are unavailable; label samples accurately and transfer them to the responsible fulfillment team.

Shelf-Life and Sensory Programs

• Set up shelf-life studies, complete required laboratory and microbiological request paperwork, label and store samples, schedule pulls, maintain study files, and organize analytical results.
• Support shelf-life improvement projects by organizing prior work, identifying assigned extension opportunities, collecting results, and coordinating defined supplier-supported trials.
• Plan and execute structured internal sensory tests after training, including blind coding, scorecards, efficient feedback collection, data summaries, and a documented second opinion for the Research & Development Manager.

Ingredients, Formulas, Nutrition, and Documentation

• Collect supplier documentation and prepare preliminary ingredient and supplier approval forms; identify missing information and track follow-up through review.
• Coordinate Don’s new-ingredient workflow with Purchasing: review priorities, verify documentation and sample status, photograph products, prepare samples for R&D/QA review, and maintain visible next steps through disposition or approval.
• Maintain R&D recipe sheets, formula versions, trial records, project folders, and product-development history files so current and historical work is searchable and traceable.
• Enter and maintain approved formula information in the company ERP system as assigned and compare approved recipe sheets with Plex to identify version discrepancies for review.
• Enter and validate ingredient and formula information in Nutritionist Pro; prepare draft nutritionals and NFPs and flag discrepancies against current labels or source specifications for review.

Production Trials and Improvement Work

• Coordinate and support assigned production trials by assisting with scheduling, bringing approved lab-held ingredients, completing trial paperwork, and collecting yields, times, temperatures, photos, observations, and samples.
• Complete assigned production observations and data-collection studies using an established framework; document process flow, variation, yield loss, timing, temperatures, quality issues, and recurring pain points.
• Review product yields for process improvements; prepare preliminary calculations and evidence without reducing product quality.

Research, Project Organization, and Department Support

• Maintain the shared R&D project tracker with the Research & Development Manager; follow up on assigned open items and keep owners, priorities, next steps, and overdue work visible.
• Take R&D meeting minutes, distribute notes and action items, and add agreed follow-up steps to the shared tracker. Close completed, discontinued, or stalled projects by filing final formulas, trial records, photos, costs, shelf-life results, decisions, and sample or ingredient disposition.
• Create and improve practical R&D templates and procedures for bench trials, sensory tests, shelf-life work, production trials, file organization, and project closeout, subject to Research & Development Manager approval.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Culinary Science, Culinary Arts, Food Technology or a related discipline preferred. An Associate’s Degree or equivalent relevant technical food experience may be considered.
• Basic mathematical ability, including percentages, weights, formula scaling, yields, and cost calculations.
• Strong interest in food, flavor, culinary trends, and prepared-food product development.
• Ability to learn technical procedures and independently execute defined work after training while recognizing when a decision must be escalated.
• Ability to stand, walk, use hands and arms, perform bench and kitchen work, and safely lift and move up to 50 pounds with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Work may occur in office, laboratory, kitchen, production, warehouse, refrigerated, and freezer environments, including temperatures of approximately 34–38°F, moderate noise, and areas near moving equipment.
• Ability and willingness to taste a broad range of food products and work around common food allergens, subject to appropriate safety controls and reasonable accommodation.

Benefits

• Competitive starting pay – paid weekly
• Benefits package available after 60 days of employment:
  • Medical option of POS, PPO, or PPO HSA insurance
  • Dental insurance
  • Company paid Life, AD&D, Short- & Long-Term Disability (after 90 days)
  • 401K with company match (after 90 days)
  • Colonial Life Supplemental Insurance
• 10 paid holidays and birthday PTO
• SQF – Safe Quality Food Culture
• Alchemy Education Training
• Safety Culture, including a Certified Safety Committee
• Employee referral bonus
• Employee recognition, gifts, and awards