Product Developer

Request Foods; Holland (MI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Request Foods seeks a Product Developer in Holland, MI to drive the evolution of our frozen soups and entrées. You will leverage culinary science to bring new products to market, while keeping existing offerings competitive.

You will work closely with Sales, Purchasing, and Operations, and with customers, to scale concepts from test kitchen to full production, ensuring quality and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in culinary arts and/or food science.
• Minimum of 3 years of related culinary experience, preferably in frozen food manufacturing.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; knowledge of Optiva and Claricom is a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and commercialize new frozen soups and entrées, keeping products competitive.
• Collaborate with Sales, Purchasing, and Operations, and work with customers to scale from test kitchen to production.
• Serve as a liaison between Product Development and Manufacturing departments.
• Maintain bills of materials, product formulas, and batch records to support documentation.
• Determine nutritional content and ensure accurate labeling; present products at sales visits and shows.
• Spend significant time on the manufacturing floor; occasional travel may be required.

Education

Bachelor's degree in culinary arts or food science

Tools

Optiva

Claricom

Job description

Since 1990, God has blessed us with outstanding team members, customers, and vendors.

In turn, our goal is to provide a nurturing environment for the God-given talents of our people as well as make a positive impact in the lives of those around us – at work, at home, in our community, and beyond.

We value and respect every employee, empowering you to learn and to advance. When you collaborate and build new connections, we recognize and reward your hard work. Afterall, with growth comes opportunity. Your success is ours.

Position:Product Developer

Location: Holland, MI

Job Id:284

# of Openings:1

Position: Product Developer

Reports to:Senior Product Development Manager

Department: Product Development

There has never been a more exciting time to join Request Foods. We’ve been selling products to many of the world’s leading food companies, retailers and restaurants for over 35 years. A privately owned and financially sound company, we do our best to run our business based on Christian values. Whether it’s cooking up great tasting food, assisting in customer support, providing quality and production leadership, or supporting administrative or technical activities, a career at Request Foods is a great opportunity. At Request, we’ve achieved success by treating our employees with integrity, trust and respect. If you’re passionate about food, and the people who help produce it, then Request Foods might just be for you.

Request Foods is seeking a Product Developer. Our competitive advantage in the frozen food industry is its highly professional and prolific Product Development team. As a technical resource for the Soup and Manufacturing work teams, the Product Developer applies culinary and food science skills in our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. This role is essential to bringing new products to market, keeping existing ones competitive, and maintaining Request Foods' relationships with our valued customers.

• Play an integral role in commercializing new products and keeping existing ones competitive in the frozen food market.
• Work closely with the Sales, Purchasing, and Operations teams, as well as directly with customers, to formulate frozen soups and entrées and scale them up from our test kitchen to production.
• Serve as a liaison between the Product Development and Manufacturing departments.
• Partner with the Manufacturing and Quality teams to maintain food quality and, safety and troubleshoot production issues to improve overall efficiency.
• Create and maintain bills of materials in our ERP system, along with product formulas and procedures that support customers' documentation requirements.
• Determine the nutritional content of formulations and ensure product labeling is accurate.
• Present products at sales visits and regional food shows.
• Spend a significant amount of time on the manufacturing floor. Occasional travel may be required.

Key Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in culinary arts and/or food science preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of related culinary experience, preferably in frozen food manufacturing.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and the Internet. Working knowledge of software such as Optiva and Claricom is a bonus.
• Excellent analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills, with strong attention to accuracy and detail.
• Strong math, writing, and interpersonal communication skills are essential.

We are truly grateful to our team members, customers, and vendors for being a part of our story. Take a look at what others have to say about their experience with Request Foods.