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Food Product Development Jobs in Kentucky (NOW HIRING)

$89 - $133/hr

B.S. in Food Science or related discipline. * 3+ years' experience in a lab-based setting. * Demonstrated experience in food and/or beverage product development at a CPG company. * Proven track ...

$110 - $170/hr

The ideal candidate is equal parts project manager, product developer, food scientist, and operator ... Build and maintain product development timelines, launch calendars, and project trackers

Position Product Development Engineer - ULTRA Key Responsibilities * Own the full lifecycle of oral ... Bachelor's degree or higher in Food Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Chemical ...

New

$90 - $130/hr

## Product Development Manager- Private BrandsApplylocations: Nonstore B152 Charlotte NCtime type ... Food Safety, Quality & Compliance*** Ensure all assigned products meet **FDA, USDA, FSMA**, and ...

$95 - $139/hr

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, company policies and operating procedures, and ... Product Development Engineer III Salary: $94,875- $139,150Our total rewards program is designed to ...

New

$81 - $119/hr

Product Development Scientist II - Oral Products Job Alerts Link Job Title: Product Development ... Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, Chemistry, Food Science, Biology, or a related technical ...

$100 - $120/hr

Business Development Role Description The Senior Food Scientist will lead product development and technical innovation for marine and terrestrial protein ingredients used in pet food applications.

New

$111 - $164/hr

Manage and develop the local Product Development team responsible for new and existing pet food products. * Establish priorities and direct team activities to support innovation, cost optimization ...

New

$150 - $200/hr

Leads product development activities, drives cross-functional alignment, and serves as a key ... Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Nutrition Science ...

Advancement - High internal promotion rate and development programs available! Gordon Food Service ... As a Full Time Food Production Associate you bring fun into our store! No 2 days are ever the same ...

Part Time Food Production

Florence, KY · On-site

$15 - $17.50/hr

Advancement - High internal promotion rate and development programs available! Gordon Food Service ... As a Part Time Food Production Associate you bring fun into our store! No 2 days are ever the same ...

Advancement - High internal promotion rate and development programs available! Gordon Food Service ... As a Full Time Food Production Associate you bring fun into our store! No 2 days are ever the same ...

Part Time Food Production

Florence, KY · On-site

$13.25 - $17.75/hr

Advancement - High internal promotion rate and development programs available! Gordon Food Service ... As a Part Time Food Production Associate you bring fun into our store! No 2 days are ever the same ...

Food Production

Georgetown, KY · On-site

$12 - $16.25/hr

Career advancement and professional development opportunities * Medical benefits * Health and ... Maintaining quality of product. * Monitoring all service equipment. * Uncompromising standards in ...

Food Production

Paris, KY · On-site

$11 - $15/hr

Career advancement and professional development opportunities * Medical benefits * Health and ... Maintaining quality of product. * Monitoring all service equipment. * Uncompromising standards in ...

Food Production

London, KY · On-site

$11.25 - $15.25/hr

Career advancement and professional development opportunities * Medical benefits * Health and ... Maintaining quality of product. * Monitoring all service equipment. * Uncompromising standards in ...

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Showing results 1-20

Food Product Development information

See Kentucky salary details

$36.9K

$110.3K

$125.5K

How much do food product development jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for food product development in Kentucky is $110,292.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $99,400.00 and $124,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a food product development?

A Food Product Development job involves creating new food products or improving existing ones by experimenting with ingredients, formulations, and processing techniques. Professionals in this field work closely with food scientists, marketers, and manufacturers to ensure products meet consumer preferences, regulatory standards, and cost requirements. They conduct research, test recipes, and oversee production trials to bring safe, high-quality, and marketable food items to store shelves.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in food product development?

Food Product Development professionals often encounter challenges such as balancing taste, nutrition, cost, and shelf-life while adhering to strict food safety and regulatory standards. They may need to quickly adapt to changing consumer preferences and troubleshoot issues that arise during product testing or manufacturing scale-up. Collaboration with cross-functional teams, such as marketing, quality assurance, and supply chain, is key to overcoming these obstacles and launching successful products. This dynamic environment requires flexibility and a continual willingness to learn and innovate.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in food product development, and why are they important?

To thrive in Food Product Development, you need expertise in food science, sensory evaluation, and recipe formulation, typically backed by a degree in food science, nutrition, or a related field. Familiarity with laboratory equipment, food safety regulations, and product lifecycle management software is often required. Strong project management, creativity, and teamwork skills help individuals excel in this role. These abilities are essential because they ensure products are innovative, safe, and compliant while meeting consumer demands and business objectives.

How to get into food product development?

To enter food product development, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree in food science, culinary arts, or a related field. Gaining experience through internships or entry-level roles in food manufacturing or research helps develop relevant skills such as product formulation, sensory evaluation, and knowledge of food safety standards. Proficiency with product development tools and strong teamwork are also valuable for success in this field.

What do you do as a food product developer?

A food product developer designs, tests, and refines new food products to meet consumer preferences and safety standards. They conduct research, create prototypes, and collaborate with cross-functional teams using tools like sensory analysis and food science techniques to bring products from concept to market.

What are the most commonly searched types of Food Product Development jobs in Kentucky?

The most popular types of Food Product Development jobs in Kentucky are:

What are popular job titles related to Food Product Development jobs in Kentucky?

For Food Product Development jobs in Kentucky, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Food Product Development jobs in Kentucky look for?

The top searched job categories for Food Product Development jobs in Kentucky are:

Infographic showing various Food Product Development job openings in Kentucky as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $110,292 per year, or $53 per hour.

Product Development Scientist

Unilever

On-site

$89 - $133/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 6 days ago


Unilever rating

7.3

Company rating: 7.3 out of 10

Based on 56 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

181st of 444 rated food and drinks producers


Job description

About Pepsi Lipton

Pepsi Lipton is a unique joint venture between Unilever and PepsiCo, combining over 125 years of tea expertise to pioneer the global ready-to-drink tea category. As an autonomous global business, we develop and launch products worldwide, offering broad exposure and opportunities to shape the future of beverages. Our teams are passionate about unlocking the power of tea and pushing the boundaries of innovation from science to sensory to deliver exciting, high-quality products that reach millions of consumers globally.

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated Product Development Scientist to join our R&D team in Valhalla, NY in a unique dual-impact role that combines Technical Brand Stewardship for LATAM markets with Innovation developments for Global programs. This is a pivotal role for a technically strong and creative product developer who will drive end-to-end product development on global programs and build technical depth and capabilities in future-facing beverage platforms, while serving as a key technical partner for LATAM business continuity projects. This role combines hands‑on development expertise with the ability to build and strengthen technical capabilities across key strategic areas. You will be part of the Global cross-functional Inno-Hub team, driving breakthrough innovation for two of our key brands (Lipton and Pure Leaf), while also contributing to the Global R&D capability agenda, developing technical solutions to current and future product design challenges. The successful candidate will leverage strong product development, formulation, and problem‑solving skills to ensure existing LATAM portfolio remain compliant, high quality, and fit‑for‑purpose, while helping to deliver future‑focused innovation across global programs. The position requires a technically curious, consumer‑focused scientist who thrives in a fast‑paced environment and can effectively balance stewardship priorities with innovation‑driven product development.

Job Accountabilities
  • Lead and deliver end‑to‑end product development for global innovation programs, from concept through to commercialization.
  • Own formulation design and technical problem‑solving, translating briefs into robust, scalable product solutions.
  • Build and apply technical expertise in key areas: milk tea, functional ingredients, and fresh brew tea processing.
  • Design and execute experimental programs, including lab development, product testing, and shelf‑life validation.
  • Lead product scale‑up, supporting pilot and factory trials to ensure successful implementation.
  • Drive creativity and consumer‑centric design, leveraging external inspiration (e.g. chefs, mixologists).
  • Contribute to global capability building, sharing learnings and strengthening best practices across teams.
  • Ensure strong technical documentation and knowledge capture to support global delivery and future reuse.
  • Design and execute experiments to investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve product and process issues through sound scientific analysis and technical recommendations.
  • Lead product reformulations required to maintain regulatory compliance, ingredient transitions, supply continuity, and quality expectations.
  • Validate ingredients, raw materials, and product changes to ensure fitness for purpose and successful market implementation.
  • Partner with cross‑functional areas like Regulatory, Analytical, Micro, Supply Chain, Marketing, Sensory, etc. to deliver robust, safe, legal, stable and fit for consumer products.
  • Engage and manage external partners and suppliers, clearly defining technical requirements and driving innovation.
  • Partner internally with Global Science Platform and externally with key strategic vendors to source ingredients and leverage expertise in ingredient functionality.
Education & Experience
  • Required: B.S. in Food Science or related discipline.
  • 3+ years’ experience in a lab-based setting.
  • Demonstrated experience in food and/or beverage product development at a CPG company.
  • Proven track record of delivering projects from concept to commercialization, including scale‑up.
  • Outstanding teamwork, communication and leadership skills.
Technical Skills

Strong knowledge of beverage formulation, ingredient functionality, and processing. Experience with functional ingredients, tea systems, milk/plant‑based beverage technologies, or related beverage platforms. Ability to translate technical challenges into practical, scalable solutions Demonstrate strong external orientation (trends, ingredients, technologies) to support innovation. Ability to evaluate ingredient performance and recommend optimized solutions. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, Outlook).

Critical Competencies

The successful candidate will be experienced in the consumer goods industry and demonstrate the following skills: Strong product development and technical problem‑solving skills. Ability to independently manage multiple projects and priorities. Intellectual curiosity and a passion for innovation. Strong analytical thinking and data interpretation capabilities. Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills. Effective stakeholder management and cross‑functional collaboration. Strong organizational and time‑management skills. Ability to execute laboratory, pilot plant, and manufacturing trials with precision. Commitment to maintaining a safe working environment. Consumer‑focused mindset with a balance of creativity and technical rigor. Ability to translate technical challenges into practical, scalable business solutions.

Travel Requirements

10%

Pay

The pay range for this position is $88,600 to $133,000.

Unilever takes into consideration a wide range of factors that are utilized in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, qualifications and education, and other business and organizational needs.

Bonus

This position is bonus eligible.

Benefits

Unilever employees are eligible to participate in our benefits plan. Should the employee choose to participate, they can choose from a range of benefits to include, but is not limited to, health insurance (including prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage), retirement savings benefits, life insurance and disability benefits, parental leave, sick leave, paid vacation and holidays, as well as access to numerous voluntary benefits. Any coverages for health insurance and retirement benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.

Inclusion

At Unilever, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We welcome applicants from all walks of life and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive/succeed. All applicants will receive fair and respectful consideration, and we actively support the growth and development of every employee. Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Persons with Disabilities. For more information on your federal rights, please see Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal Employment is subject to verification of pre‑screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, credit check and DMV check. If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time during our recruitment process, please contact us at NA.Accommodations@unilever.com. Please note: This email is reserved for individuals with disabilities in need of assistance and is not a means of inquiry about positions or application statuses. The Protected Veterans or Individuals with Disabilities AAP narratives are available for inspection at Monday through Friday during normal business hours at establishment. Better Business. Better World. Better You.

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