R&D Food Scientist

This role focuses on developing and improving food and nutritional products by formulating new recipes, conducting sensory and laboratory testing, and ensuring all products meet regulatory and quality standards. You will work closely with flavor chemists, vendors, customers, and internal teams to recreate requested flavors, build and maintain formulas in Excel, and support both technical and commercial aspects of product development, including a sales and cost-planning component.

Responsibilities

• Conduct organoleptic (sensory) testing to evaluate flavors and determine the profiles needed to create or recreate food and nutritional products, such as non-dairy creamers and other flavored items.
• Create, maintain, and adjust product formulas using Excel, ensuring accuracy of ingredients, quantities, and cost data.
• Source ingredients and packaging components to fulfill formula requirements, including obtaining quotations, securing the best pricing, and coordinating with vendors.
• Develop new formulas for customers and internal products, including formulation design, cost calculation, ingredient sourcing coordination, application testing, sample preparation, and new product scale-up coordination.
• Quote new products for customers by preparing product costings based on raw materials and manufacturing costs, ensuring profitability and identifying cost savings for existing products.
• Research regulatory requirements for all ingredients, including trademarked and specialty ingredients, to ensure compliance with FDA, SQF, FSMA, USDA Organic, GMP, Kosher, Halal, and other relevant regulations.
• Prepare Nutrition Facts and Supplement Facts panels in compliance with FDA regulations based on final product formulations.
• Review and approve labels to ensure they meet all applicable FDA and regulatory requirements before releasing them for use in production.
• Review all incoming labels and related documentation to verify accuracy and regulatory compliance.
• Mix and prepare samples for testing, tasting, and formula changes, and ensure samples are properly documented and tracked.
• Test food and nutritional products to determine physical and chemical properties, ensuring products are fit for distribution and meet quality and regulatory standards.
• Track and maintain detailed records of formula experimentation, ingredient performance, and formulation changes, and prepare reports to summarize findings and results.
• Review technical data, product specifications, and vendor documentation to ensure all materials meet quality and regulatory requirements.
• Communicate with vendors to obtain proper documentation, source new ingredients and packaging components, and resolve technical or supply-related issues.
• Assist with customer complaint investigations or product issues by reviewing formulations, processes, and documentation and contributing to corrective actions.
• Participate in packaging innovation and technology projects, collaborating with other departments to improve product presentation, functionality, and cost efficiency.
• Perform cost planning by collecting and evaluating data to estimate the costs, resources, and labor needed to produce products, and monitor forecast plans.
• Conduct market research on estimated costs and prepare bids and cost proposals for new and existing products.
• Discuss and propose ways to improve food and nutritional product recipes, incorporating new technologies, ingredients, and market trends.
• Stay current with food and nutritional product trends by reading professional publications, studying industry developments, and participating in professional training and organizations.
• Communicate directly with customers to understand product specifications, requests, and expectations, and translate these requirements into practical formulations and solutions.
• Collaborate with other internal departments to ensure product accuracy, alignment with customer requirements, and smooth handoff from R&D to production and other functions.
• Work with shipping and receiving teams to develop processes for price costing and shipping programs for new and existing customers, including shipping documents, production reporting, and systems that support product movement.
• Clean, maintain, operate, and sanitize laboratory equipment, such as microscopes, scales, and other testing instruments, following good manufacturing practices.
• Handle a sales-oriented component of the role by supporting product quoting, customer communication, and value-based discussions related to formulations and costs.
• Interface regularly with clients and vendors via email and phone to request samples, relay technical and commercial information, ask clarifying questions, and support ongoing projects.

• At least 1 year of experience in research and development within a food and beverage company, or equivalent experience in a related R&D environment; candidates with no experience but a relevant science degree are also considered.
• Proficiency with Excel, including building and maintaining formulas, performing basic calculations, and organizing data related to formulations and costs.
• Proficiency with Outlook and other Microsoft Office software for communication, documentation, and reporting.
• Experience or education in food science, chemistry, biology, nutrition, food technology, or a closely related scientific discipline.
• Ability to conduct organoleptic (sensory) testing and accurately describe and evaluate flavors.
• Experience working in a laboratory or R&D setting, including handling samples, conducting tests, and documenting results.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy when creating formulas, preparing labels, and reviewing technical and regulatory documentation.
• Ability to understand and work with regulatory frameworks such as FDA regulations, SQF, FSMA, USDA Organic, GMP, Kosher, and Halal requirements.
• Strong communication skills for interfacing with clients, vendors, and internal teams via email and phone.
• Ability to research and interpret technical data, product specifications, and regulatory information.
• Comfort with a role that combines technical R&D responsibilities with sales, quoting, and cost-planning activities.

• Bachelors degree in Chemistry, Biology, Nutrition, Food Science, Food Technology, or a related scientific field is highly valued; candidates with relevant experience and no formal degree are also considered.
• Experience in new product development and research and development within the food, beverage, or nutritional supplement industry.
• Familiarity with creating and reviewing Nutrition Facts and Supplement Facts panels in compliance with FDA regulations.
• Experience in cost planning, cost estimation, and product costing based on raw materials and manufacturing processes.
• Exposure to packaging innovation and packaging technology projects in a food or nutritional products environment.
• Experience working under recognized quality and safety systems such as SQF, FSMA, USDA Organic, GMP, Kosher, and Halal programs.
• Experience conducting market research related to ingredient costs, product trends, and competitive offerings.
• Ability to participate in professional training and organizations to maintain and grow knowledge of food and nutritional product trends.
• Comfort working in an environment that may be fast-paced and occasionally chaotic, with changing priorities and multiple concurrent projects.

The role is based within a supplement and food manufacturing facility that operates in a climate-controlled environment. The R&D Food Scientist / Technologist primarily works in an office and laboratory setting, with regular interaction with an attached production area when needed for testing, sampling, or process support. The facility produces a variety of food and nutritional products, which creates a distinct and noticeable smell throughout the premises. The work environment can be dynamic and occasionally chaotic due to the pace of production and development activities. Standard working hours follow a Monday through Friday schedule from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., providing a consistent daytime shift. Laboratory and office work involve the use of microscopes, scales, and other analytical equipment, as well as computers and Microsoft Office tools for documentation, communication, and cost planning.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Leesburg, FL.

The pay range for this position is $25.00 - $30.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job

classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be

subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits

available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision

Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital

401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available

Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)

Short and long-term disability

Health Spending Account (HSA)

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Leesburg,FL.

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 16, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions.

We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through

access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market.

With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S.,

Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without

regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,

sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected

by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or

adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,

please email ... for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the

city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants

with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a

condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law

shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,

including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications

and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you

acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.