Future Opportunities Cocoa Science Intern R&D (Summer 2026)

Future Opportunities Cocoa Science Intern R&D (Summer 2026)

Posted Date : Sep 13, 2025

Requisition Number : 126167

Cocoa Science Intern R&D (Summer 2026)

Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Location : Hershey, PA

Duration : May 2026 - August 2026

R&D Cocoa Science Intern :

Overview Residing at the Hershey Company's Technical Center, this position involves a unique opportunity to work within the Research & Development team. This team is responsible for evaluating new technologies and ingredients for improving current processes and products and providing new product opportunities through (1) researching new discoveries, (2) taking product concept to prototype, and (3) scaling up through to commercialization. The Cocoa Science Intern will work independently, and as a part of various teams, toward goals on project assignments. The successful candidate should be able to interact with many different types of individuals including various scientists, procurement and sustainability team members, and management. This successful candidate will have the opportunity to work in the Cocoa Science group. This role will require individuals to demonstrate project leadership, conduct experiments, solve technical problems, analyze data and present results.

Potential Duties / Responsibilities : Daily work responsibilities will include use of benchtop development, prototype evaluation, analyzing experimental data, and executing experiments on pilot scale equipment.

• Provide support to research projects or portions of larger projects which provide innovative new products and / or product / process improvements in R&D.
• Perform prototyping and development from benchtop to pilot plant to full manufacturing scale.
• Test ideas through experimentation, applying technical rigor and scientific principles, and practices.
• Determine next steps through problem solving while understanding the business impact.
• Assist team in accomplishing project tasks.
• Interact closely with a cross functional group of technical, professional, and managerial staff of R&D, as well as production, engineering, and marketing.
• Provide input for technical feasibility for new product concepts.
• Partner with Supply Chain to provide technical support to drive quality and value improvement in products and processes.

Qualifications : Education

Experience :

Minimum Knowledge / skills / abilities required to successfully perform major duties / responsibilities :

Things the prospective candidate should know :

Nearest Major Market : Harrisburg