Actalent is hiring: Product Development Technician in Ankeny

Job Title: Product Development Technician

Job Description

The Product Development Technician will support the research and development team in creating and launching new food products, as well as maintaining and reformulating existing products. The role involves working closely with supervisors and level 2 technicians on bench top sample preparation, qualifying new suppliers, assisting with plant trials, and performing sensory evaluations to ensure consistent quality and food safety.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the development of new food products and the reformulation of existing products.
• Prepare bench top samples to support product development.
• Qualify new suppliers through proper formulation and organoleptic evaluation.
• Assist with plant trials and verify ingredients and labels.
• Perform internal sensory evaluations for new products, ingredients, and packaging.
• Conduct shelf life evaluations of ingredients and finished goods.
• Develop and distribute product specifications across all manufacturing facilities.
• Record research and development activities such as formulas, procedures, requirements, data, and notes.
• Support procurement in the qualification of secondary suppliers and ingredients.
• Record weekly project status and review with the supervisor.
• Assist with ingredient sourcing and auditing to support new suppliers.
• Maintain ingredient records.

Essential Skills

• Experience in research and development, product development, and food science.
• Proficiency in bench testing and food manufacturing.
• Knowledge of FDA and USDA regulations.
• Bachelor of Science in culinary food science, culinology, or related field.
• At least 1 year of experience in food manufacturing or product development.
• Experience in scaling from bench top samples to commercialization.

Work Environment

The work environment includes both lab and office settings. The lab is state-of-the-art and involves working in cold environments (34-38 degrees) about 60% of the week. The role requires physical activities such as climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, pulling, pushing, lifting, and repetitive motions. The standard working hours are 7 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, with a flexible 30-minute window. There may be rotational work on Saturdays depending on production requirements.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I are embedded into our culture through:

• Hiring diverse talent
• Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
• Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
• Ensuring growth opportunities for our people

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.