Confections Application Technologist

Job Title: Confectionery Technologist Job Description We are seeking a skilled Confectionery Technologist to join our team. This role involves developing and optimizing formulations for various confectionery products including gummies, licorice, chocolate, and more. You will also mentor junior staff, lead strategic presentations, and support customer interactions. Responsibilities

- Develop and optimize formulations for gummies, nutraceutical gummies, licorice, chocolate, compound coatings, hard candy, soft candy, pectin systems, starch-molded confections, chews, and related confectionery products.
- Mentor laboratory technicians and junior technologists on confectionery formulation and processing techniques.
- Lead strategic customer presentations, product demonstrations, and trade shows.
- Travel up to 25% domestically to support customer visits, product demonstrations, manufacturing trials, pilot plant activities, and trade shows.
- Support customers by answering technical questions about formulations, ingredients, production processes, labeling, and compliance.
- Evaluate flavor performance, sweetness systems, masking technologies, texture systems, and color performance in confectionery applications.
- Develop new product ideas that align with customer needs and support company growth.
- Lead pilot trials and manage physical/chemical stability checks to determine shelf life reliability.
- Troubleshoot formulation, texture, processing, shelf-life, and flavor delivery challenges in confectionery systems.
- Support product development and applications teams in tastings, information sharing, concept development, training, and sample creation as needed.
- Maintain detailed and accurate records of formulations, processing parameters, project activities, stability studies, and test results.
- Conduct sensory evaluations and participate in internal tasting panels to assess flavor, texture, and overall product performance.
- Report any food safety or quality issues to appropriate personnel.

Essential Skills

- 3-5 years of product development in confections, specifically in chocolate, gummies, licorice, hard and soft candy.
- Ability to support scale-up activities from bench-top development through commercial manufacturing.
- Bachelors degree in Food Science, Confectionery Science, Culinary Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
- Minimum 2-3 years of confectionery product development or applications experience.
- Project management and time-management skills.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

- Preferred experience in flavor masking technologies and sweetness optimization for nutraceutical (gummy) products.
- Knowledge of chocolate processing, tempering, viscosity management.
- Open to more higher level roles with 5+ years of confectionery product development, applications, or commercialization experience, especially if they also have beverage product development experience.

Work Environment The role is primarily based in a lab environment, with occasional visits to production areas. The lab is GMP regulated and moderately loud. PPE, including eye protection and steel-toed shoes, will be provided. The role involves working with the applications team and requires comfort with exposure to the big 9 allergens. The work involves frequent sitting and standing, some lifting of 20-30 pounds, and requires color perception. The lab has a moderate noise level.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Addison, IL.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $33.00 - $43.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. 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)
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Addison,IL.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Oct 9, 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 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

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 [email protected] 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.