Product Development Assistant Jobs in Elmhurst, IL

Senior Scientist, Away From Home and KHI Product Development
The Sr. Scientist, Away From Home and KHI leads product development across medium- to high-complexity projects for the Away From Home / KHI business, supporting a broad portfolio of innovation, renovation, and brand maintenance initiatives. This role translates business needs into practical development plans, drives technical execution, and ensures projects progress effectively from formulation through scale-up and commercialization.
This role operates in a dynamic, cross-functional environment and requires strong technical judgment, project management, and problem-solving skills across a range of product categories and business needs. Success in the role requires the ability to manage multiple priorities, collaborate effectively across functions, and maintain strong execution and documentation discipline.
Key Responsibilities:
• Lead product development across multiple cross-functional projects and product categories within the Away From Home / KHI business, including innovation, renovation, and brand maintenance work
• Independently lead product development projects from formulation through scale-up and start-up
• Translate business objectives into clear development plans and drive execution from concept through commercialization
• Partner with cross-functional teams to advance projects, resolve technical issues, and deliver against business timelines
• Serve as an R&D point person for manufacturing plants and support plant operations with troubleshooting, process design, and product quality-related issues to maintain business continuity
• Lead product testing, qualification, and commercialization activities across laboratory, pilot plant, and production environments
• Apply strong technical judgment to product, ingredient, process, and formulation challenges and develop recommendations and contingency plans based on findings
• Communicate technical findings, recommendations, risks, and implications clearly and in a timely manner to cross-functional stakeholders
• Manage technical timelines, proactively raise issues and risks, and adjust plans as needed
• Manage multiple priorities concurrently and identify tradeoffs, resource constraints, and priority conflicts across initiatives, including planned and unplanned brand maintenance work
• Interface with technical experts, category scientists, and cross-functional partners to understand technologies, applications, and business needs
• Monitor emerging trends and competitive activity within categories of responsibility
• Assist in scoping early-stage innovation ideas and participate in ideation sessions
• Conduct lab, pilot plant, and manufacturing trials to optimize formulations and processing systems
• Write specifications and maintain high-quality documentation that supports consistent, high-quality products
• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to learn new categories, technologies, and processing areas in support of business needs
Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required in Food Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related field, plus a minimum of 4 years of relevant product development experience within CPG, food and beverage, or a related industry; or master's degree plus a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience; or PhD plus a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience

• Strong knowledge of ingredients, product formulation, processing systems, ingredient interactions, and laboratory test methods

• Proven ability to lead product development and commercialization work across multiple projects and priorities

• Strong communication, project management, and problem-solving skills

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment with changing priorities

• Strong technical judgment and ability to design effective experiments, interpret results, and adjust plans as needed

• Self-motivated and able to deliver results with a high degree of ownership in a complex environment

• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and collaborate across functions to deliver business objectives

• Demonstrated flexibility and ability to learn new products, technologies, and processes quickly

• Willingness to travel 30%, including travel to internal plants, co-manufacturers, suppliers, and other business locations within the United States

Work Environment & Schedule
This position is considered a normal office environment with 30% travel or visits to external locations; offices are open workspaces. Additionally, this role requires in-office presence at least three days per week in compliance with the hybrid work schedule.
Physical Requirements
Physical demands include, but are not limited to:
• Lift up to 30 lbs and navigate lab, storage, pilot plant, and manufacturing environments.
This job description is not designed to cover or contain all duties or responsibilities required of the role. Duties and responsibilities may change or be added at any time, with or without notice.
Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz' strategy and values.
New Hire Base Salary Range:
$89,800.00 - $112,200.00
Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.
The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors
Benefits: Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family's needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.
Wellbeing: We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families.
You'll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example:

• Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments
• Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training
• Emotional - Employee Assistance Program , Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs
• Financial - 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability

Location(s)
Glenview R&D Center, Heinz Innovation Center
Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact NAZTAOps@kraftheinz.com for assistance.