Senior Food Technologist

At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you'll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar-free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman's, and Pangburn's have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company-owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts. Join our team and let's continue making chocolate lovers happy!
A day in the life...
The Russell Stover R&D team is helping to shape the future of the US chocolate market through world-class innovation. As a Senior Food Technologist, you will assure the strength of our current raw materials portfolio, execute sensory programs to drive product success, while having opportunities in the product development process. You will become part of a progressive team that innovates, develops, tastes, and proposes new products for future launch in market. In this position, you will report to the Sr. Manager of Food Science.
What you will be doing...

• Own internal raw material specifications utilizing TraceGains software, collaborating with Quality, Procurement, and Suppliers.
• Collaborate with Procurement and R&D on raw material solutions.
• Coordinate and execute internal and external consumer sensory panels to gain important insights on innovation, new product development, and renovation projects.
• Execute sensory evaluation of shelf-life testing utilizing Compusense software and communicating conclusions.
• Work cross-functionally with Operations, Marketing, Innovation, Quality, Regulatory, and Co-manufacturers to support new product development, existing product improvements and resolution of product quality issues.
• Prepare and manage samples for sensory testing, sales samples, and meetings.
• Provide support to the product development process, from benchtop prototypes through production.

Do you have what it takes?
(Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Food Engineering or similar scientific field.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in the food industry.
• Experience using statistical methods to analyze data, write reports, and provide recommendations.
• Working knowledge of ingredients and food systems.
• Knowledge of consumer testing methodologies.
• Highly effective team-player, willing to contribute within a wide variety of areas.
• Project management & prioritization of projects, balancing multiple project initiatives simultaneously and being flexible to change.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity, adapt to change and persevere. Also requires the ability to identify critical path items and risks, and effectively communicate these to both the business team and management.
• Willingness and ability to taste and evaluate confectionary products and associated ingredients.
• Ability to travel up to 20% to our plant locations.
• Ability to work in the Kansas City office 3 days each week, 2 days remote.

Do you stand above the rest?
(Preferred Qualifications)

• Master's degree.
• Experience conducting and analyzing sensory testing using Compusense software.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment.
• Self-starter with strong initiative to seek improvements.
• Strong oral and written communication skills as well as presentation skills across all levels of the organization.

At Russell Stover Chocolates, we don't just accept difference - we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Russell Stover Chocolates is proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.
We provide equal employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.
Employment by Russell Stover Chocolates is contingent upon I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, passing the urinalysis drug screen, education verification, and satisfactory reference and background checks.
Make Happy. Work Happy.