Leadership Development Program – Food Safety, Quality Assurance/Research & Development Track

Leadership Development Program – Food Safety, Quality Assurance/Research & Development Track

Location: Hatfield, PA | Length: 1 Year Rotational | Start Date: June 2026

What is the Leadership Development Program?

Our Leadership Development Program (LDP) is a one-year, rotational experience designed to prepare the next generation of leaders at Clemens Food Group. Through hands-on learning, cross-functional projects, and cohort-based development sessions, you will gain the skills, confidence, and business understanding to step into a permanent role upon completion.

About FSQA and R&D at Clemens

At Clemens Food Group, our Food Safety, Quality Assurance (FSQA), and Research & Development (R&D) teams work hand-in-hand to ensure every product meets the highest standards of safety, quality, and innovation. FSQA safeguards our consumers and brand through robust compliance, auditing, and food safety systems that protect every stage of production. At the same time, R&D drives product innovation—from new formulations and packaging to process trials and customer partnerships that bring ideas to life.

In the FSQA/R&D Leadership Development Program, you will gain hands-on experience across both functions, learning how to uphold food safety and quality standards, lead audits and root cause analysis, and support new product development from concept to commercialization. You’ll play a key role in driving continuous improvement, customer collaboration, and innovation that keeps Clemens Food Group at the forefront of the food industry.

What Makes This Program Different

• Comprehensive Food Systems Exposure: Experience both FSQA and R&D disciplines to understand how safety, quality, and innovation work together to drive success from farm to fork.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work alongside Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Trades, and Sanitation teams to ensure that quality, innovation, and compliance are built into every step of production.
• Regulatory and Industry Insight: Gain exposure to food safety regulations, customer audits, and compliance systems while learning how to interpret and apply evolving industry standards.
• Continuous Development: Participate in monthly cohort learning sessions, product cuttings, plant tours, and leadership workshops that deepen your technical expertise and understanding of our business.

Your Year in FSQA and R&D

During your one-year rotation, you’ll:

Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA):

• Learn how to manage food safety and quality systems across production environments.
• Support hot spot and root cause analyses (RCA) and conduct process mapping to identify improvement opportunities.
• Lead projects that strengthen compliance, efficiency, and overall product quality.
• Gain exposure to audits, regulatory inspections, laboratory processes, and customer visits.
• Partner with Trades, Sanitation, and Operations teams to ensure programs align with safety and quality standards.
• Understand how data, decisions, and corrective actions drive product integrity across the business.

Research & Development (R&D):

• Partner with our innovation team to develop and test new products from concept to plant-scale production.
• Run proof-of-concept and pilot trials to validate new formulations, processes, and packaging solutions.
• Support product specification creation, system entry, and post-launch evaluations.
• Participate in customer visits, product cuttings, and plant tours to connect innovation with real-world application.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to bring creative, data-driven ideas to market efficiently and safely.

Skills You Will Build

• Knowledge of food safety and quality systems, regulatory standards, and compliance processes
• Experience with root cause analysis (RCA), FMEA, and continuous improvement tools
• Understanding of product development, formulation, and commercialization

Who is Eligible

• Students graduating in December 2025 or May 2026 with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Animal Science, Meat Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related discipline
• Demonstrated leadership through academics, internships, research, or campus involvement
• Interest in food safety, quality systems, and product development within the meat or food manufacturing industry
• Comfortable working in a hands-on, fast-paced production environment
• Open to working in a pork production facility, which may include cold temperatures and unique sights and smells

Recruiting Timeline: Applications will be accepted through November 17, 2025. The timeline may shift depending on business needs, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Be sure to review the role’s location to ensure it fits your preferences, as all positions are based on-site at a Clemens Food Group facility.