Product Development Scientist - Rapid Prototyping

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For more than 115 years, Ferrara has created sugar confections that enable moments of sweetness, celebration, and connection for candy lovers of all generations.
Today, the company is the #1 sugar confectioner in the United States.
Ferrara boasts a passionate team of nearly 9,000 employees creating and delivering hundreds of products sold under 20 popular brands like Brach's, NERDS, SweeTARTS, Laffy Taffy, and Trolli to more than 66 million U.S. households annually and popular Dori snacking products under brands such as Dori, Gomets, Pettiz, and Yogurte 100 in Brazil.
Additionally, Jelly Belly, known world-wide for its confections, was acquired in November of 2023.
Product Development Scientist - Rapid PrototypingJob Location: ChicagoWant to make an impact?The Product Development Scientist – Rapid Prototyping will be responsible for product development on front-end innovation projects including, but not limited to, participating in ideations, developing new products, and thinking creatively to solve problems.
They should have a passion for innovation, creativity, and generating new ideas.
This individual will have a direct impact on Ferrara's Innovation Pipeline through bringing ideas to life in the form of edible prototypes across a variety of brands and candy forms.
Ways you will make a differenceLeads the technical development plan for various innovation projects with moderately to highly ambiguous scope with the support of Manager.Consistently brings a range of concepts to life through prototypes for early concept development of fuzzy front-end innovation.Creatively uses a variety of forms of inspiration (e.g.
competitive landscaping, category consumer insight, adjacent category innovation, etc.)
and translates consumer insights and brand strategy into gold standard prototypes for identification of new innovation projects.Develops new product formulas on a bench scale with consideration for full scale feasibility.Actively participates in ideations and collaborative brainstorming sessions by staying informed on new trends and thinking of unique and interesting ideas across the product range.Has a strong passion for creativity and innovation within a commercially driven environment.Collaborates with R&D, Industrial Design, and Process Engineering staff to problem solve and suggest innovative solutions.Consistently utilizes technically sound methodology and problem-solving tools to design experiments and test new ideas.Observes, evaluates, and concisely and accurately documents experimental data and results.Understands roles of cross-functional stakeholders and engages them where appropriate.Collaborates with the Manager weekly to ensure full alignment on project initiatives, plans and next steps.Spends majority of time on-site in Ferrara's Innovation Lab creating new prototypes (60-100% of the time).Travels, both domestically and internationally (up to 10% of job).Ensures adherence to all company policies and procedures.Understands and demonstrates the Company's core values.Performs other duties as assigned.Skills that will make you successfulBasic knowledge of food science, food chemistry, and ingredient functionality with ability to think creatively and apply that understanding in new ways for the purposes of innovation prototyping.Basic knowledge of the product development process and ability to develop commercially successful food products.Creative thinker with a passion for bringing concepts to life through gold standard prototype development based on innovation input inspiration (e.g.
brand strategy, competitive product, consumer insights, etc.
).Passion for front-end/early innovation and product development.Strong technical competencies with attention to detail and ability to problem solve.Self-starter/self-motivated with a drive for results.Efficient at planning with experience working under tight timelines.Naturally blend in with fast paced product development.Great understanding/appreciation of the broader business environment with ability to apply technical and commercial knowledge during project execution.Very strong interpersonal skills with ability to communicate, influence, and build effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders from different levels, backgrounds, and cultures.Ability to explain complex technical issues / solutions to a non-technical audience.Enjoys working in results oriented, collaborative team environment.Comfortable operating lab scale equipment and spending majority of time on-site in a lab environment (60-100% of the time).Able to travel up to 10%, domestically and internationally.Experiences that will support your successB.S.
Food Science or related field required.
M.S.
or Ph.D. in Food Science or related field preferred.2-5 years of relevant work experience in product development in the food industry.Experience in rapid prototyping and/or fuzzy front-end development of prototypes preferred.Experience in confections, culinary, or pastry preferred.Excellent written and verbal communication skills (bilingual if possible: Spanish preferred).Strong mathematical skills.Strong computer skills – including proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite and SAP.What We OfferAt Ferrara, we're proud to support our employees with comprehensive benefits that enhance health, financial wellness, and include paid time off (PTO).
Eligible employees may also receive an annual bonus based on company performance.
Learn more about our benefits here.
CompensationThe salary range for this position is $69,000 - $96,000 annually.
Ferrara's success in industry-leading innovation has been driven by deep consumer insights, strong retailer co-creation and partnerships, and a dedication to diversity of thought, experience, and people.
A privately held company, Ferrara has its global headquarters in Chicago and an operational network of more than 27 locations in North America, Brazil, and China that includes manufacturing, distribution, sales, and R&D facilities.
Ferrara is a privately held Ferrero related company.
Learn more at www.ferrara.com or www.linkedin.com/company/ferrara-.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITYWe are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, employment decisions and opportunities at Ferrara will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital or civil union status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, military or veteran status, disability, handicap, genetic information, pregnancy (childbirth or related medical condition), or on any other basis prohibited by law.
This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.

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