Research Scientist

TekWissen LLC

Hershey, PA

JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$30–$35 Per Hour
SKILLS
Administrative Skills, Analysis Skills, Benchmarking, Beverages, Bioengineering, Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Communication Skills, Competitive Analysis/Strategy, Consumer Packaged Goods, Continuous Improvement, Cost Control, Cross-Functional, Diversity, Food Science, Human Capital, Identify Issues, Lead Generation, Leadership, Manufacturing, Manufacturing/Industrial Processes, Marketing, Operational Support, Pilot Plant, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Process Engineering, Process Improvement, Product Costing, Product Development, Product Programs, Production Support, Project/Program Management, Quality Assurance Methodology, Quality Management, Regulations, Research Contracts, Scientific Principles, Scientific Research, Supply Chain, Team Player, Technical Support, Test Plan/Schedule, Workforce Management, Writing Skills
LOCATION
Hershey, PA
POSTED
3 days ago

Overview:

TekWissen is a global workforce management provider headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan that offers strategic talent solutions to our clients world-wide. Our client is an American multinational company and one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the world. It also manufactures baked products, beverages and many more that are produced globally.

Position: Research Scientist

Location: Hershey, PA, 17033

Duration: 12 Months

Job Type: Temporary Assignment

Work Type: Onsite

Role Overview

The Research Scientist (Contract) supports high-complexity initiatives, leads workstreams within broader projects, and independently manages low-complexity initiatives. The role requires a low to moderate level of autonomy depending on project scope.

This position focuses on developing technical expertise, strengthening problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and effectively communicating technical concepts across cross-functional teams. The candidate will progressively build influence, collaboration skills, and internal networks within the organization.

Key Responsibilities

1. Project Leadership (90%)

  • Lead product development projects focused on innovative chocolate products, including:
    • Formulation development
    • Ingredient development
    • Product transformation interactions
  • Execute product development across all stages:
    • Bench-top prototyping
    • Pilot plant trials
    • Full-scale manufacturing
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams:
    • RandD, Manufacturing, Engineering, Marketing, Quality, and Regulatory
  • Assess and communicate the business and financial impact of projects
  • Apply scientific principles and technical rigor in all development work
  • Provide technical feasibility input for new product concepts
  • Support supply chain initiatives to improve product quality and cost efficiency
  • Lead ingredient shortage mitigation efforts to reduce business impact

2. Product and Process Improvement (10%)

  • Support continuous improvement programs for product quality and manufacturing processes
  • Contribute to cost optimization and process efficiency initiatives

Cross-Functional Collaboration

This role partners closely with:

  • Marketing
  • Manufacturing
  • Engineering
  • Quality and Regulatory
  • Project Management
  • Technology Development

Typical Day / Core Activities

  • Developing and testing chocolate formulations
  • Conducting analytical testing on samples
  • Supporting pilot plant production runs
  • Performing competitive product assessments (sourcing, benchmarking, analysis)

Required Skills and Competencies

Technical Skills

  • Experience in product development, innovation, or process optimization
  • Ability to learn and apply new technical knowledge in development and commercialization
  • Understanding of process platforms and scaling methodologies
  • Familiarity with multidisciplinary domains:
    • Sensory science
    • Engineering
    • Packaging
    • Research

Core Competencies

  • Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking
  • Excellent troubleshooting capability
  • Effective decision-making and administrative skills
  • Business and financial acumen
  • Ability to influence cross-functional teams
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Adaptability and openness to change
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment

Education and Experience

  • Bachelor's degree in, Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Chemical Engineering, Food Process Engineering, Bioengineering or related field

  • 2 4 years of relevant experience required
  • Experience in chocolate production, product innovation, or CPG industry is a plus

Top Technical Skills

  • Chocolate sample formulation and development
  • Analytical testing techniques
  • Pilot plant operation support
  • Competitive product benchmarking and analysis

TekWissen Group is an equal opportunity employer supporting workforce diversity.


TekWissen is an emerging global human capital, recruitment and IT services organization. Operating since 2009, we draw upon more than a decade of staffing experience to deliver critical talent acquisition solutions and IT engagements for our clients. We’re founded on a culture that is passionate about delivering tailored solutions, that create lasting partnerships.

Our global footprint covers six countries: United States, Canada, Australia, India, United Kingdom and the Philippines. This allows us to work in close partnership with organizations and manage everything from global talent needs with demanding resourcing strategies, to single sites with lower recruitment volumes.

TekWissen® is an equal opportunity employer supporting workplace diversity. 

About the Company

T

TekWissen LLC

WE THE TEKWISSEN PEOPLE

TekWissen offers you a broader portfolio of services, industry-leading solutions, and the meaningful innovations that give you greater flexibility and speed to respond to market dynamics, reduced costs and risk to improve enterprise performance, and increased productivity to enable growth.

To keep pace with global market demands, TekWissen keeps its finger on the pulse of change. Our organized approach to guiding a project from its inception to closure. Managing projects is becoming more and more important as we enter the digital era. To cope with the pace that this transition demands, a method is required to manage projects so they can yield quality work, while incorporating efficient use of time and resources.

Project involves identifying which quality standards are relevant to the project and determining how to satisfy them.

It is important to perform quality planning during the Planning Process and should be done alongside the other project planning processes because changes in the quality will likely require changes in the other planning processes, or the desired product quality may require a detailed risk analysis of an identified problem. It is important to remember that quality should be planned, designed, then built in, not added on after the fact.

Capabilities and accomplishments in one TekWissen business enhance the opportunity for success in the others. Put simply, TekWissen's unique combination of attributes promotes success.



COMPANY SIZE
100 to 499 employees
INDUSTRY
Computer/IT Services
FOUNDED
2009
WEBSITE
http://www.tekwissen.com/