Confections Application Technologist Position Overview Seeking an experienced Confections Application Technologist to lead the development of innovative confectionery products that support customer innovation, commercialization, and business growth. This role serves as the company's technical expert in confectionery applications, partnering closely with customers, sales, flavor development, regulatory, and manufacturing teams. The ideal candidate has strong hands-on experience developing products such as gummies, nutraceutical gummies, chocolate, hard candy, soft candy, licorice, chews, and compound coatings , with the ability to take projects from concept through commercial production. Key Responsibilities Develop and optimize confectionery formulations across multiple product categories. Create innovative prototypes for customer presentations, product demonstrations, and trade shows. Serve as a customer-facing technical expert on formulation, processing, ingredient functionality, labeling, and regulatory requirements. Lead pilot plant trials, manufacturing scale-ups, and commercialization efforts. Troubleshoot formulation, texture, flavor delivery, processing, and shelf-life challenges. Evaluate flavor performance, sweetness systems, masking technologies, texture systems, and color performance. Conduct stability testing and shelf-life evaluations. Collaborate cross-functionally with R&D, Sales, Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, and Operations teams. Stay current on confectionery trends, ingredients, processing technologies, and consumer insights. Mentor junior technical staff and support broader product development activities. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Confectionery Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Culinary Science, or related field. Minimum 3 years of confectionery product development or applications experience.

Strong formulation experience in:

Gummies (gelatin and/or pectin) Nutraceutical gummies Hard and soft candy Licorice Chocolate Compound coatings Chews and confectionery systems Experience supporting projects from bench-top development through commercialization. Strong project management, communication, and customer-facing skills. Preferred Qualifications 5+ years of confectionery R&D, applications, or commercialization experience.

Experience with:

Functional and nutraceutical ingredients (vitamins, minerals, botanicals, adaptogens, caffeine, etc.) Flavor masking technologies Sweetness optimization Sugar-free confectionery systems Starch-molded confections Chocolate processing and tempering Regulatory compliance and labeling (FDA, Kosher, Halal, DSHEA) Ideal Candidate Profile Technical expert in confectionery product development. Comfortable interacting directly with customers and presenting innovations. Strong problem solver who can troubleshoot manufacturing and formulation challenges. Experience working in a fast-paced flavor, ingredient, confectionery, or food manufacturing environment. Able to lead multiple projects simultaneously while driving products to commercialization. Travel Up to 25% domestic travel for customer visits, pilot trials, scale-up activities, manufacturing support, and trade shows.

Pay:

$70,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance Application Question(s): How many years of hands-on product development experience do you have in confectionery products (gummies, candy, chocolate, licorice, chews, or related systems)?

Work Location:

In person