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Food Scientist, Research & Development

The J.M. Smucker Company
United States, Ohio, Columbus
Feb 27, 2026

Your Opportunity as the Scientist, R&D in our Sweet Baked Snacks team

Help create the next generation of sweet baked snacks! Lead handson product development-from concept to commercialization-using food science, creativity, and collaboration to turn consumer insights into delicious products that make it to store shelves.

Location: Orrville, Ohio

Work Arrangements: Onsite 50% or more dependent on business needs. Ability to travel up to 30% or more annually dependent on product launch pipeline.

In this role you will:

  • Be a leader and "voice of the product" for assigned projects

  • Collaborate with cross functional partners including: Brand Management, Insights, Product Research, Packaging Development, Sales, Engineering, and Operations in early-stage new product design. Lead discussion on brief design for product

  • Design products based on a business need, as defined by consumer insights, a product brief and learning plan, with a great deal of independence

  • Formulate products based on ingredient functionality, nutritional targets, consumer need, claim substantiation, operational feasibility, and financial targets independently.

  • Conduct experiments from rapid, iterative prototyping to development and scale-up (benchtop, pilot plant, plant). Be able to think creatively about how to design and test products

  • Review and interpret data, from process trials, measurements from chemical/physical analysis, feeding studies, storage studies, statistical analysis, providing conclusions and recommendations to technical team and able to communicate to management

  • Partner with other disciplines and resources, both internal and external to R&D and JMS, sharing information, building upon an integration of ideas,

  • Compose new and update existing documents such as specs (ingredients, finished product), reports, project updates, data analyses, laboratory notebooks, etc.

  • Provide expertise to commercialization team to bring new products to market

  • Assess legal and environmental aspects, and patent opportunities for new products. Be aware of patent landscape in technical areas of expertise. Significantly contribute to patents that might be written on new technologies.

  • Assist as needed in providing innovative ideas leading to the creation of new products, cost savings/efficiency, and solving product related challenges

What we are looking for:

Minimum Requirements:

  • Bachelors in chemical engineering, food science, bakery science, or related field

  • 5+ years in product development in the consumer packaged goods industry

  • Experience working in food formulation with a focus on food safety and nutrition

  • Experience testing shelf life and interaction with packaging

  • Proven project management experience

  • Able to explain complex technical issues and communicate to non-technical cross functional team members

  • Comfortable in ambiguous situations and able to create direction as needed

  • Ability to lift up to 30 lbs.

  • Ability to travel up to 30% on an ongoing basis (travel frequency dependent on projects and product launch pipeline)

Additional skills and experience that we think would make someone successful in this role:

  • Culinary experience or culinary degrees in combination with a science, engineering, or technology degree

  • Advanced degree (Masters and/or PhD)

  • Baking Experience

The Right Place for You

We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.

Stay connected with us on LinkedIn

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