Mgr Technical Product Development & Optimization
Why Hershey:
At The Hershey Company, our culture is rooted in purpose and inspired by Milton Hershey’s enduring vision that business should create opportunity for others. Through our commitment to corporate philanthropy, we create positive impact by supporting communities, helping children thrive, and operating as a business for good. This includes our deep and long standing partnership with Milton Hershey School, where we invest in education, workforce readiness, and hands on engagement to help students succeed beyond the classroom. Supported by strategic grantmaking, product donations, cross brand collaboration, and strong employee volunteerism, Hershey offers a place to work where making a difference—locally and globally—is part of how we do business every day.
About The Hershey Company
How will you fit in the big picture?
What will you do?
- Lead the technical development of protein innovation and renovation projects from concept through commercialization.
- Drive formulation, ingredient functionality, sensory optimization, process development, pilot trials, scale-up, and manufacturing startup activities.
- Partner closely with Marketing, Consumer Insights, Manufacturing, Engineering, Procurement, Quality, and Regulatory teams to accelerate project execution and portfolio delivery.
- Provide technical leadership, risk assessments, and recommendations to support stage-gate decisions and business prioritization.
- Manage, coach, and develop a team of scientists and technical professionals, aligning resources across multiple programs and priorities.
- Mentor team members in formulation, experimental design, and technical problem solving while supporting career growth and development.
- Identify technical bottlenecks and capability gaps, implementing improvements that enhance product development speed, rigor, and efficiency.
- Strengthen development processes, documentation practices, prototyping approaches, external partnerships, and cross-functional ways of working.
- Build organizational capability by expanding expertise across protein technologies, ingredients, and product formats.
Minimum Education & Requirements
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum 5+ years of progressive product development experience in food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods R&D preferred.
- Proven experience leading technical programs and influencing cross-functional teams.
- Demonstrated people leadership experience, including coaching, mentoring, and developing scientists and technical support staff.
- Experience commercializing products from benchtop development through pilot plant and full-scale manufacturing.
- Strong understanding of food safety, regulatory, and labeling requirements.
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, or a related technical discipline required.
- Master’s degree or other advanced degree preferred.
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong expertise in protein-based product development, including protein ingredient functionality, texture optimization, shelf-life performance, and sensory quality.
- Experience across multiple protein formats, including bars and powders.
- Advanced experimental design, analytical problem solving, and data-driven decision-making skills.
- Experience managing external partners, co-manufacturers, and ingredient suppliers.
- Familiarity with stage-gate innovation processes and project management systems.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiences and senior leadership.
Benefits and Perks
- 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
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.
You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application process as a result of a disability.
You can request an accommodation via phone or email.
To request an accommodation via phone, please call +1 877-804-1794 and leave a voicemail with your contact information. You may also email a request for accommodation to ApplicationHelp@hersheys.com. Please be sure to include “Accommodation Needed” in the subject line. This will ensure that your email is routed to the appropriate contact who will handle your request.
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Nearest Major Market: Harrisburg
