Once Upon a Farm is hiring a
Product Development Technologist

Summary

The job is a Product Development Technologist role at Once Upon A Farm, reporting to the Senior Director of R&D. The employee will support product development activities, including formulation, benchtop work, sensory evaluation, and data entry. They will also work with supply chain to solve sensory issues, assist in consumer sensory testing, and maintain documentation for nutritional labeling and ingredient labeling.

Responsibilities

• Supports Product Development Team, with formulation development and optimization, product kitchen trials, production trials, sample evaluation, and assistance when and where needed
• Prepare benchtop prototypes when needed and assist in analyzing using a variety of methods available in the R&D test kitchen
• Prepare product specifications, set up formulas, and write technical reports and test run plans
• Assist in creating circulating document change control forms for recipes and finished products
• Assist in consumer sensory testing for pre- and post-launch products
• Work with Supply Chain to solve sensory issues that arise from consumer complaints, internal tastings, etc. Submit recommendations for approval
• Support sensory tasting events, including the analytical and physical evaluation and sample preparation. Build test protocols, recruit internal tasters, execute tastings, and document results accurately and in a timely manner
• Register all benchtop samples into a database with appropriate analytics including Ph, Brix, Viscosity, and other product parameters
• Ensure kitchen supplies, ingredients, and raw materials are on hand and within the specified shelf life for use
• Assist in procuring all raw materials for kitchen trials and packaging and maintaining inventory
• Calibrate and maintain kitchen equipment such as Ph meters, thermometers, and scales
• Maintain a professional and clean working environment for benchtop: Clean and organize, keeping physical samples, files, and record data appropriately
• Support coordination of buying/receipt and review of samples from competitors for testing and evaluation
• Follow all human and food safety policies when performing your job including bench work, sample preparation, and plant trials
• Support the Product Development Team during co-manufacturer plant trials for commercialization of new manufacturers, and products to implement formula changes/improvements
• Coordinate sample shipments for benchtop
• Develop product nutrition and ingredient information for product labels. Assist in creating and maintaining NFPs for all new products including upkeep of database for new ingredients
• Verify NFPs in packing review cycles
• Work with Quality to verify the accuracy of product label ingredient declarations and nutrition facts panels prior to printing for preprinted labeling
• Maintain documentation for nutritional labeling and ingredient labeling