Lead Bakery Scientist, R&D and Scale-Up Strategy

Flowers Foods, Inc.; Thomasville (GA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health and medical benefi

401(k) Retirement savings plan

Professional growth and leadership培训

Paid vacation, holidays, and parental

Job summary

Flowers Foods, Inc. is seeking an Associate Principal Bakery Scientist to lead the development, optimization, and commercialization of innovative bakery products across the Flowers Foods portfolio.

This role requires a deep understanding of baking science, shelf life, project management, and cross-functional collaboration to drive quality, cost efficiency, and innovation. You will direct product development for core brands and private label, manage multiple projects, and partner with procurement

Qualifications

• At least 7+ years of bakery industry R&D experience in yeast-raised technology in Product Development, Manufacturing, and/or Operations.
• At least 5+ years’ significant product development and commercialization experience of baked and pressed bars.
• General baking experience in breads, bagels, English muffins, laminated doughs, etc. desired.
• Experience on scale-up from lab to production is required.
• Travel required: up to 50+% supplier visits, plant trials and production start-ups, etc.
• Bachelor’s degree in food science, food engineering, baking science AND/OR at least 7 years of relevant progressive baking experience.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross functional team members to deliver/execute renovation, quality improvement and cost savings projects.
• Must demonstrate ability to prioritize and successfully manage multiple projects with various degrees of complexity and scope.
• Follow company strategies and ensure COGS meet project hurdles.
• Conduct bench top formulation work, validate shelf life, lead R&D plant trials and start-ups to ensure successful product validation and execution.
• Has strong knowledge and experience working on a range of bread, buns, and other baked products.
• Experience commercializing at contract manufacturers.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing inefficiencies for recently launched products.
• Demonstrate ability to solve problems, identify, collect and analyze data leading to sound results.
• Provide risk assessments with contingency plans and recommendations to solve challenges & mitigate risk.
• In partnership with Procurement, identify/source ingredients and leverage vendor expertise in ingredient functionality/applications. Provide clear direction and project briefs to strategic vendor partners.
• Understands sensory science and how to apply consumer feedback to optimize product formulations.
• Present to R&D leadership and senior executives to inform of status and results of key projects.
• Practice and comply with all Company policies and procedures (EEO, Harassment, Safety, Sarbanes Oxley, etc.).
• Perform other duties deemed by management to be an integral part of the job, including but not limited to fulfillment of work schedules, adherence to attendance policies, and other applicable operating rules, policies and procedures.

Skills

bakery R&D

product development

scale-up production

project management

bread and baked goods

Education

Bachelor's degree in food science / related field

Job description

Flowers Foods, Inc. is seeking an Associate Principal Bakery Scientist to lead the development, optimization, and commercialization of innovative bakery products across the Flowers Foods portfolio.

This role requires a deep understanding of baking science, shelf life, project management, and cross-functional collaboration to drive quality, cost efficiency, and innovation. You will direct product development for core brands and private label, manage multiple projects, and partner with procurement