Food Technologist

Golden West Food Group; Vernon (CA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday Pay

Paid Time Off

Health Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

401k

Job summary

Golden West Food Group in Vernon, CA is seeking a Laboratory/R&D professional to develop and document recipes for a premium food portfolio. You will optimize recipes for cost, process efficiency, and quality attributes, and establish product quality standards.

This full-time role involves supporting plant trials, conducting shelf-life tests, coordinating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring regulatory compliance and accurate technical records.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of experience in a lab or manufacturing environment.
• Experience with specification management systems, ERP, and MS Office.
• Knowledge of process and package development, QA, and project process management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and document R&D recipes.
• Optimize recipes for cost, process and attributes.
• Establish and maintain product quality standards.
• Assist with sensory, cooking/heating instructions and shelf-life tests.
• Plan, design, and lead plant trials and validation.
• Conduct competitive analysis and market reviews.
• Prepare process documentation for commercialization, regulatory compliance and audits.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on timelines and status.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost, yield, labor efficiency and process performance.
• Evaluate ingredients and suppliers.
• Evaluate organoleptic properties of food products.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Lab experience

Process development

QA knowledge

Project management software

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in food science/related field

Tools

Specification management systems

ERP systems

Job description

Target Pay Range: up to $75,000/year, depending on level of relevant experience and qualifications

Employment Classification: Full-Time

About us:

Headquartered in Vernon, CA, we are a premium full spectrum manufacturer and distributor of fine food products. Family owned and operated since 1977, our Company offers more than 4,000 products to a variety of customers in both the foodservice and retail channels. We are committed to providing the highest quality food products with an unrelenting commitment to fresh, nutritious ingredients and promotion of eco-friendly business practices.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Technical development and documentation of R&D recipes
• Assisting in the optimization of recipe for cost, process and essential attributes
• Establishing and maintaining product quality standards, measurable finished product attributes and acceptable ranges
• Assisting with sensory, cooking/heating instructions and shelf-life tests
• Support with planning, designing and leading plant trials and process specification validation
• Conducting competitive analysis and market reviews
• Preparation of comprehensive process documentation to support commercialization, regulatory compliance, and audit requirements, including label reviews, ingredient and product specifications, shelf-life documentation, and related technical records
• Participation in meetings with cross functional teams, which may include program development, brainstorming sessions, timelines and project status updates
• COGS and continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to improve cost, yield, labor efficiency, and process performance
• Ingredient and supplier evaluation, including testing new ingredients, substitutions, and alternate suppliers
• Evaluate organoleptic properties of food products
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university in food science, biology, chemistry, or a related life science field, preferred.
• 1-2 years of experience working in a lab or manufacturing environment preferred.
• Experience with specification management systems, project management software, ERP systems, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Knowledge of process and package development, QA, project process management, financial hurdles, and strong PC skills are preferred.
• Physical Demands - While performing the duties of this job, the individual is regularly required to smell, taste, and consume all food types. The individual occasionally will lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Work Environment - The individual will handle and is exposed to allergenic and sensitive materials, such as soy, wheat, gluten, dairy, seafood, nuts, sulfites, etc.
• Typical schedule is Monday through Friday; however, occasional nights or weekends may be required to accommodate plant trials.

Benefits Overview:

• Holiday Pay
• Paid Time Off
• Health Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 401k

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core to our mission. We believe diverse perspectives make us stronger, and we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone can thrive.

Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.