Research and Development Assistant

Gorton's - Gloucester, MA

Full-time - Entry Level

Remote - Gloucester, MA

Food Manufacturing

About the position

Be part of something BIG here at Gorton's. With the iconic yellow sticker and a catchy jingle, Gorton's is now reaching more households than ever. As the #1 brand within Frozen Prepared Seafood, we have long been committed to a passion for the consumer and driving growth through innovation. We are looking for equally passionate people to help us fulfill our mission of spreading the goodness of the sea to everyone! As a Research & Development Assistant, you will support the development of frozen seafood products by assisting in all stages of the product development process at Gorton's. This includes working at the lab bench and in production facilities. In this role, you will prepare product prototypes for evaluation, manage ingredient inventory, conduct analytical testing, and support the R&D department Food Scientists. You will also support and coordinate production facility trials, develop cooking instructions, and perform sensory evaluations of products. Additionally, you will conduct and summarize storage study test evaluations using trend analysis, prepare products to showcase to buyers/customers/employees at sales meetings and customer review events, and assemble and ship products to external labs and customers while maintaining file documentation of shipments. Maintaining a clean lab environment by cleaning, sanitizing, and organizing R&D lab and storage areas is also a key responsibility. You will be required to pick up and deliver products and ingredients for R&D, including items from local warehouses.

Responsibilities

• Prepare product prototypes for evaluation.
• Manage ingredient inventory and conduct analytical testing.
• Support and coordinate production facility trials.
• Develop cooking instructions and perform sensory evaluation of products.
• Conduct and summarize storage study test evaluations using trend analysis.
• Prepare products to showcase to buyers/customers/employees at sales meetings and customer review events.
• Assemble and ship products to external labs and customers, maintaining file documentation of shipments.
• Maintain a clean lab environment by cleaning, sanitizing, and organizing R&D lab and storage areas.
• Pickup and deliver products and ingredients for R&D, including items from local warehouses.

Requirements

• B.S. degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology or Culinary Arts is preferred or 2+ years of experience in a related field.
• Must be comfortable working in the culinary kitchen and analytical laboratory, as well as around large industrial food processing equipment.
• Ability to conduct basic analytic tests on food with training.
• Solid quantitative skills, with aptitude for technology and science.
• Competence with Microsoft Office software.
• Strong interpersonal skills, communication skills, and organization skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to taste fish and shellfish prototypes.
• Able to lift 50 lbs.
• Able to travel and be flexible in work hours.

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Commuter assistance
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance