Job Description

About the Client

Our client is a well-established leader in the Bakery manufacturing industry. With decades of success and continuous growth, they are recognized for their innovative solutions and commitment to quality. They value collaboration, professional development, and take pride in delivering excellence to their customers.

Role Overview:

We are seeking a hands-on Research & Development Specialist who will serve as the primary driver of product innovation within our bakery operations (clean label) . This is a sole-contributor role , where you will collaborate directly with the sales team and company leadership to develop new products and solutions tailored to client needs. You will work closely with customers to bring creative concepts to life, leveraging your technical expertise and passion for baking to deliver unique, high-quality innovations. This position is ideal for someone who thrives in both the kitchen and the boardroom—able to transform client feedback into innovative products that set us apart in the baking industry.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, microbiology, or related field with at least five years of experience in product and/or formula development.
• MS preferred.
• Baking and Culinary training are a plus
• Good understanding of formula costs
• Technical knowledge of food quality/safety procedures and programs, regulatory requirements, and working knowledge of microbial hazards, HACCP program development, microbiological laboratory procedures, sanitation procedures, plant operations, and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
• Understanding process capability and the application of process control/quality control within those processes.
• Familiarity with ISO 17025 Laboratory Standards
• Understanding of Design Development that is associated with SQF and Food Safety Programs

Personal Attributes/Skills

• Building highly effective, collaborative working relationships at all levels in the organization
• Strong ability to communicate effectively (both verbally and in writing)
• Effectively leading change in a business environment
• Strong fit with the Company’s values and culture
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Requires knowledge in food product design, formulation, ingredient functionality and interaction, process design, product scale-up, plant testing, and commercialization.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office software.
• Bias to action, calmly solves problems, follows through, holds self & others accountable, willingness to do what it takes to get the job done

Physical Requirements:

• Exposure to baking manufacturing environments, including loud noise, excessive heat, cold, wet, and slippery conditions.
• Climbing to various heights via stairs or ladders
• Use of tools, equipment, and machinery
• Exposure to food tasting and smells, including all food allergens

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience in baking manufacturing (clean label), supply chain, or operations
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborates with Sales/Marketing and Innovation Engineering to develop new products, from concept phase through successful commercialization.
• Conduct plant trials and new product start-ups, including full-scale production on any product innovation and renovation project. Provide support to the plant when challenges arise.
• Comfortable and skilled at customer-facing communication. Specifically with R&D, Culinary, and QA teams.
• Conceptualize and develop new product prototypes.
• Maintain recipes, SOPs for batching, and ingredients in the company’s systems. This includes generating Nutrition Facts Panels and ingredient statements.
• Working with procurement in identifying and sourcing ingredients from vendors that follow established marketing guidance and quality assurance standards for use within the product portfolio.
• Liaison with corporate resources on verification of new suppliers and raw materials, as well as the feasibility of new products under development.
• Coordinate and conduct both internal and external shelf-life studies.
• Initiate and assist in managing all product formulation change management control by issuing approved recipes, communicating changes, and approving BOM’s.
• Management of product development schedules that are required to meet project timelines.
• Communicate effectively with all partners throughout the development process to ensure timely and budget-friendly development.
• Work with finance to develop strawman costs to adhere to guidelines early in the development cycle.
• Participate in co-manufacture or third-party product development when required.
• Lead efforts to consolidate like raw materials while maintaining product integrity and optimizing formulations.
• Responsible for helping review formulas and looking for cost savings opportunities while maintaining safety and product performance, which could include finding substitute ingredients.
• Find and evaluate new technologies to keep our portfolio current with emerging trends.
• Key member on the NPD implementation team.
• May require some travel to larger customers
• Experience in reverse engineering to match existing formulations
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

GRIT Staffing & HR Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at eoc@gritstaffinghr.com so we can assist you.

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