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Food Product Development Jobs in Missouri (NOW HIRING)

Balchem

Product Development Scientist

Bridgeton, MO · On-site

The Food Scientist position will leverage scientific training and industrial experience to develop ... Drive the conceptualization, development, and commercialization of new products * Support cross ...

Balchem

Product Development Scientist

Bridgeton, MO

The Food Scientist position will leverage scientific training and industrial experience to develop ... Drive the conceptualization, development, and commercialization of new products * Support cross ...

Nestle

Product Development Associate

Saint Louis, MO · On-site

$65K - $84K/yr

Position Summary Our Product Development Associates bring ideas to life for both our wet and dry ... You'll leverage your sharp science background and food formulation experience to be able to ...

Jobtailor

Product Development Scientist

Bridgeton, MO · On-site

$85 - $110/hr

Leverage scientific training to develop and scale up new products for the food and beverage market ... development * Knowledge of bakery products including breads, muffins, cookies, cakes, etc. is a ...

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Irca Group

R&D Scientist

Affton, MO · On-site

Gourmet, Food Manufacturing and Consumer Product (Retail). "Extraordinary made simple" Under the direction of the R&D Manager, the R&D Scientist is responsible for the development, optimization, and ...

Irca Group

R&D Scientist

Affton, MO

Gourmet, Food Manufacturing and Consumer Product (Retail). "Extraordinary made simple" Under the direction of the R&D Manager, the R&D Scientist is responsible for the development, optimization, and ...

Irca Group

R&D Scientist

Affton, MO

Gourmet, Food Manufacturing and Consumer Product (Retail). "Extraordinary made simple" Under the direction of the R&D Manager, the R&D Scientist is responsible for the development, optimization, and ...

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All JobsFood Product Development JobsFood Product Development Jobs in Missouri

Food Product Development information

See Missouri salary details

$39.9K

$119.1K

$135.5K

How much do food product development jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average yearly pay for food product development in Missouri is $119,115.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $107,400.00 and $134,100.00 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 Missouri?

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

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

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

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

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

What cities in Missouri are hiring for Food Product Development jobs?

Cities in Missouri with the most Food Product Development job openings:

Food Product Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Food Product Development job openings in Missouri as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 75% Full Time, and 25% Part Time. Highlights an 75% In-person, and 25% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $119,115 per year, or $57.3 per hour.

Product Development Technologist

Pro Food Systems, Inc

Holts Summit, MO • On-site

Full-time

Posted 4 days ago

Job description

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGIST
Reports to: Director, Quality and R&D
FLSA Status: Exempt
SUMMARY
The Product Development Technologist will support research, development, reverse engineering, commercialization, and continuous improvement of breading systems and related food products for PFS Blends. This is a customer-facing role that combines technical product development with strong presentation and sales skills. The role will evaluate competitive products, develop and improve formulations, support customer presentations and product demonstrations, and work with cross-functional teams to move products from bench development through plant scale-up and commercialization. Poultry manufacturing and breaded food system experience are important to success in this role.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Research, Development & Reverse Engineering:
  • Develop and improve breading systems, coatings, batters, predusts, seasonings, marinades, and related products, with a focus on poultry applications and commercial manufacturing.
  • Conduct deformulation and competitive product evaluations to understand ingredient decks, nutritional profiles, ingredient functionality, processing effects, and product performance.
  • Lead and support customer presentations, product demonstrations, sample reviews, commercialization meetings, and post-launch product optimization; clearly communicate product benefits, technical advantages, and recommended solutions.
  • Use reverse-engineering findings to build formulation hypotheses and prototypes that meet sensory, cost, nutrition, labeling, and manufacturing targets.
  • Plan and execute bench, pilot, and plant trials; document formulas, process conditions, results, and recommendations.
  • Partner with Quality, Food Safety, Production, Operations, Sales, and suppliers to scale products, support commercialization, and troubleshoot manufacturing issues.
  • Apply a continuous improvement mindset by using trial and production data to improve product quality, consistency, yield, cost, and manufacturability.
  • Evaluate raw materials and supplier technologies used in breading and coating systems, including flours, starches, proteins, gums, seasonings, oils, and other functional ingredients.

Technical & Cross-Functional Responsibilities:
  • Support plant trials, equipment evaluations, process validation, and technical training related to breading application and food manufacturing.
  • Assist with inbound product audits, competitive evaluations, sample preparation and testing, and development of practical testing criteria.
  • Maintain organized R&D records, formulations, specifications, test results, and project documentation while following food safety, labeling, sanitation, and equipment-safety requirements.
  • Collaborate effectively with customers, sales, internal teams, ingredient suppliers, poultry processors, co-manufacturers, and culinary or technical partners; build strong relationships and perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, experience, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Cereal Science, Chemistry, Culinary Science, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
  • Experience in food product development, formulation, deformulation, reverse engineering, or commercialization within a food manufacturing environment preferred.
  • Hands-on experience with poultry manufacturing, further processing, breading application, frying, or related protein processing strongly preferred but not required.
  • Working knowledge of food ingredients, ingredient functionality, manufacturing scale-up, commercialization, and continuous improvement principles.
  • Ability to evaluate ingredient statements and nutritional profiles and translate findings into practical formulation and testing plans.
  • Working knowledge of nutrition labeling and regulatory requirements; school nutrition, K-12 foodservice, USDA Foods, or related school meal program knowledge is a plus.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, project-management, documentation, and communication skills, with a confident, engaging, sales-oriented personality and the ability to present technical information clearly to customers and internal teams. Must be comfortable building relationships, presenting products, and supporting customer-facing sales opportunities.

WORKING CONDITIONS
  • Position requires occasional overnight travel, up to 25%.
  • Work is typically performed in normal office conditions with some manufacturing exposure.
  • Some work is performed in a general food production and manufacturing environment with exposure to machine noise, and ingredient and finished product dust and residues.
  • Additional PPE are required for some tasks in the manufacturing environment. Uniforms with long pants, long sleeve shirts, and closed toed shoes are required along with hair and beard coverings.
  • Frequent exposure to several food allergens that are present in the facility and used daily.
  • Employee will be exposed to extreme temperatures at times, from warehouse to freezer, which is -10 to 40 degrees.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • Must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time in front of a computer intermittently
  • Consistently required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch and carry items
  • Must have visual and hearing acuity
  • Ability to use hands and fingers to reach, lift and carry 40 pounds on a sporadically
  • Digital dexterity and hand/eye coordination in operation of office equipment including a computer
  • Ability to speak to, hear, and understand others via phone and in person in English
  • Must able to travel by car and plane as needed

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