Food Scientist

Food Scientist

Location: Hanover, PA

Are you passionate about the science behind food? Do you dream of developing snack products that end up on shelves across the country? Join our fast-paced, flavor-forward R&D team as our next Food Scientist, where you'll lead projects that push boundaries, challenge norms, and satisfy millions of snackers.

The R&D Food Scientist supports a wide range of product optimization initiatives within the broader R&D organization, including ingredient technology, process improvement, and technical costefficiency efforts that contribute to value engineering objectives. The role applies food science principles, engineering fundamentals, analytical rigor, and crossfunctional collaboration to deliver solutions that maintain product quality, enhance consistency, and strengthen operational performance.

Responsibilities:

• Research and assess new ingredients and processing technologies, applying scientific curiosity and food science/engineering principles to identify opportunities for product improvement, efficiency, and robustness.
• Design and execute laboratory and plant trials, evaluating ingredient alternatives, processing conditions, and product performance using strong experimental discipline.
• Analyze data and experimental outcomes, applying critical thinking to determine technical feasibility, sensory implications, and operational impact.
• Collaborate across other R&D functional groups and with cross-functional partners including Manufacturing, Procurement, Finance, and Marketing to understand operational constraints, align on technical requirements, and ensure successful implementation of solutions.
• Engage with strategic suppliers to evaluate ingredient functionality, explore new technologies, and codevelop ingredient or process solutions.
• Communicate findings clearly and effectively, preparing technical reports, data summaries, and presentations for crossfunctional and leadership.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or related field required.
• A minimum of 1-3 years of experience in food product development or food manufacturing, or 0-1 year of experience for candidates holding a master's degree or higher.
• Handson experience with product or process development, laboratory experimentation, and datadriven technical assessment.
• Strong understanding of food chemistry, ingredient functionality, and food processing principles.
• High curiosity, initiative, and the ability to apply scientific reasoning to develop practical, impactful product solutions.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with Manufacturing, Procurement, Marketing, Finance, and other crossfunctional partners.
• Solid project management and prioritization skills to manage multiple technical initiatives simultaneously.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for both technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Familiarity with lab, pilot plant, and productionscale food manufacturing equipment and processes.
• Experience with salty snacks (e.g., potato chips, pretzels, extruded products) is preferred but not required.

Why You'll Love Working With Us:

• Work with passionate, talented teammates who love food just as much as you do.
• Collaborate on exciting, consumer-loved snack brands.
• Enjoy a mix of lab, pilot plant, and hands-on production work.
• Be part of a company that values innovation, growth, and bold ideas.

Our Recruitment Process

• Apply: Submit your resume and answer a few key questions to get started.
• Chat Interview (20-25 mins): Share your experiences in an online chat, highlighting how your values align with ours.
• Live Interview: Selected candidates will meet with the hiring manager to see how they fit into the team and wider business with Utz.

Continuously Pursuing Excellence!

Here at Utz, we have a passion for exciting and delighting consumers with delicious snack foods made from high quality ingredients. After over a century with a strong family heritage, our diverse portfolio of brands includes Utz, Zapp's, Boulder Canyon, and On the Border. Our associates are the reason for the success of this company, so it is important we provide a supportive, caring and inclusive environment that offers opportunities for career growth and advancement. We also help take care of our associates by providing benefits, resources, and programs that ensure they live their healthiest lives. Our benefit package includes medical, dental, and vision plans, an employer match 401k, profit sharing plan, employee stock purchase plan and much more. Join our world class team and help us become the fastest growing pure-play U.S. snacking company of scale!

Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

Ready to cook up something amazing?
If you're ready to take your food science career to the next level, we'd love to meet you. Apply today and start shaping the future of snacking!