Sr. Research Scientist S&R

Job Overview

Design innovative products for beloved brands including Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers, Sour Strips, Ice Breakers, and Bubble Yum!

Specific Role Focus Area

• Lead product development projects across hard candy, gummies, licorice, gum, mints, chewy confections, and sugar-free/polyol systems.
• Develop formulations and prototypes from bench through pilot plant and full-scale manufacturing.
• Partner with Marketing, Consumer Insights, Sensory, Quality, Regulatory, Engineering, Manufacturing, Procurement, Supply Chain, Project Management, Commercialization, Technology Development, and external suppliers/co-manufacturers.
• Support innovation, renovation, capacity expansion, cost savings, supply continuity, and transformation initiatives.
• Design and execute experiments, manufacturing trials, and technical evaluations; analyze results and provide recommendations.
• Build expertise in confectionery and refreshment technologies while mentoring peers and sharing knowledge.
• Foster a collaborative, fast-paced R&D culture focused on technical rigor, problem solving, and consumer-first innovation.

Accountabilities

• Experience leading innovation, renovation, quality improvement, cost improvement, technology validation, supply continuity, or process optimization initiatives.
• Strong foundation in food science, chemistry, ingredient functionality, formulation development, and/or process development; experience in confectionery is preferred.
• Ability to develop hypotheses, design experiments, execute trials, analyze data, troubleshoot results, and translate learning into clear technical recommendations.
• Experience working in lab, pilot plant, and/or manufacturing environments, including scale-up, commissioning, start-up, commercialization, or plant trial support.
• Ability to collaborate across Sensory, Consumer Insights, Marketing, Engineering, Packaging, Quality, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Supply Chain to deliver aligned project outcomes.
• Demonstrated project leadership, prioritization, decision-making, financial awareness, and business integration skills in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong influencing skills with the ability to communicate technical information clearly to technical and non-technical audiences, including senior leaders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including technical reports, trial summaries, presentations, and recommended next steps.
• Comfortable with ambiguity, changing priorities, hands-on experimentation, and practical problem solving in a growth-oriented business.

Key Partners

• Marketing & Consumer Insights
• Sensory, Quality & Regulatory
• Manufacturing, Engineering & Alliances
• Procurement, Packaging & Supply Chain
• Project Management & Commercialization
• Technology Development & External Suppliers/Co-manufacturers

Minimum Education & Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biology, or a related technical field with 4–6 years of relevant experience;
• Master’s degree with 2–4 years of relevant experience;
• or PhD with 0–2 years of relevant experience.

Experience in food, beverage, confectionery, ingredient, consumer packaged goods, or related product development environments is preferred.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans.