R&D Technician (Sweets Portfolio)

Location: Hershey, PA

Summary:

Reporting to the Manager Sweets R&D and working at The Hershey Company’s Technical Center, the Technician position will be supporting project work with plenty of guidance and direction.  Lab maintenance leadership is expected. A successful candidate has knowledge of how to manufacture core products and to run the associated lab and pilot plant equipment. This candidate will provide basic cross-functional communication with communication focused to project leader and management.

This position will work with multiple scientists within Sweets and Refreshment R&D team to achieve company innovation goals and programs. The individual will perform basic tasks and follow standard work methods or specific instructions required to support product development.  The individual must also be competent with data entry, basic calculations, computer applications, organoleptic evaluations, and be willing to support production start-ups and manufacturing. This role will require agility around daily task and the ability to adjust to changing needs of the team. A successful candidate is expected to be dependable and proactive, as well as have excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities:

• Project support:  Operate standard experimental testing or processing equipment in the laboratory to prepare and package products, and record and tabulate data.  Assist with pilot plant scale-up testing by preparing ingredients, packaging materials, and processing equipment, assisting with the equipment operation, collecting and tabulating data, and post test cleanup.
• Project leadership:  With minimal supervision, leads small projects or segments of larger projects.  Manages timelines and deliverables, plans and executes experiments with autonomy, oversees temporary labor deliverables and coordination, manages communication of status and results to the team and supervisors.
• Lab maintenance:  Responsible for organization, cleanliness, and sanitation of team laboratory workspaces.  Maintain inventory of ingredients and supplies.  Maintain regulatory compliance through entry of ingredient/packaging information in the lot tracking database.

Specific focus areas:

• Benchtop development
• Pilot plant testing
• Equipment assembly and preparation
• Support in-plant initiatives such as trials, sales sample production, and start-ups
• Identify project support needs
• Partner with project leaders on planning and execution
• Ability to lift up to the maximum of fifty (50) pounds and prepare product for testing
• Ability to learn and apply new skills quickly
• Good time-management and organization skills to manage multiple projects 

This role will interact with:

• Scientists
• Engineers
• Pilot plant operations

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience leading innovation initiatives, such as product development, quality improvement, cost improvement, technology validation, or process optimization​
• Hands on skills involving running laboratory and pilot plant equipment​
• Demonstrated knowledge of sweet candies – chews, hard candy, gummies, licorice/ropes

Experience and Education Requirements:

• GED or H.S. diploma
• Preferably up to 2 years of related experience.

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