Research Engineer
Location: ONSITE - Technical Center: 1025 Reese Avenue, Hershey, PA 17033
Max Pay: $34.92/hr, Bill rate: $49.60/hr, Contract Length: 8 months
Overview: We are seeking an early-career Research Engineer to support process development and manufacturing innovation for a leading organization in the food and snack industry. This hands-on role focuses on improving product quality, scaling new products, and optimizing manufacturing processes across a variety of snack platforms including popcorn, baked goods, and extruded products. Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Product Development, Engineering, Operations, and Quality to run trials, analyze data, and translate findings into actionable process improvements.
Responsibilities:
- Support development, optimization, and validation of snack manufacturing processes across pilot and production environments
- Execute plant trials for new products, process improvements, and equipment modifications
- Collect, analyze, and interpret process and production data to identify trends and improvement opportunities
- Operate and troubleshoot lab, pilot plant, and factory equipment
- Assist in scaling products from concept to full production
- Apply structured problem-solving methods to address process challenges such as texture, moisture, oil management, and consistency
- Prepare technical documentation including reports, SOPs, and trial summaries
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align product design with manufacturing capabilities
- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives related to quality, productivity, and efficiency
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related technical field
- 0-2 years of relevant experience (internships, co-ops, or research projects accepted)
- Basic understanding of food processing, manufacturing, or engineering principles
- Familiarity with laboratory, pilot plant, or industrial equipment
- Knowledge of food safety practices, GMPs, or process experimentation fundamentals
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and basic data analysis tools
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, hands-on environment
Preferred Qualifications:
- Exposure to food manufacturing, especially snacks, baked goods, or extrusion processes
- Experience with DOE (Design of Experiments) or statistical analysis
- Hands-on equipment troubleshooting experience
- Familiarity with pilot plants or production-scale environments
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to work onsite in plant, lab, and pilot environments
- Comfortable working around heat, machinery, oil systems, and noise
- Ability to lift up to 40 lbs
- Willingness to travel 20-50% depending on project needs