R&D Kitchen Assistant — Food Lab & Sample Prep Pro

Trident-Seafood; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

PTO

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Commuter programs

Job summary

Trident Seafoods is seeking a part-time R&D Kitchen Assistant to join our Seattle-based Innovation Center at Pier 91. The 32-hour workweek runs Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This role supports Food Technologists and the culinary team with sample prep, product evaluations, and kitchen operations.

The position emphasizes maintaining clean, safe R&D spaces, assisting with cooking validations, and coordinating sample packaging. Local candidates only.

Qualifications

• Ability to read and interpret documents in English such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence in English.

Responsibilities

• Assist Food Technologists with R&D projects, including sample preparation, product cutting, sensory evaluations, and cooking validations.
• Support the culinary team during customer presentations by preparing and cooking samples, chopping vegetables, plating dishes, and assisting with presentation setup and cleanup.
• Prepare raw materials for sample making, including cutting, portioning, and forming fish products.
• Package R&D samples and create shipping labels for FedEx shipments.
• Clean and maintain safe, sanitary, and organized conditions in the food laboratory, display kitchen, and conference room area.
• Wash dishes, utensils, and equipment used by the R&D team throughout the day, as needed, using a commercial dishwasher (typically twice daily), and return all items to their designated storage locations.
• Clean deep fryers and replace cooking oil as needed, typically every two to three weeks.
• Clean air vents, ovens, and grills monthly; clean laboratory freezers and refrigerators weekly; and coordinate the removal of expired or unneeded ingredients and products.
• Assist the R&D team with walk-in freezer cleanouts and dispose of product samples as required.
• Operate and perform routine care of basic and specialized food laboratory and kitchen equipment; ensure equipment is cleaned and sanitized regularly; and perform thermometer calibrations.
• Monitor inventory of cleaning and sanitation supplies and communicate replenishment needs in a timely manner.

Skills

English literacy

MS Office

Independent work

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Trident Seafoods is seeking a part-time R&D Kitchen Assistant to join our Seattle-based Innovation Center at Pier 91. The 32-hour workweek runs Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This role supports Food Technologists and the culinary team with sample prep, product evaluations, and kitchen operations.

The position emphasizes maintaining clean, safe R&D spaces, assisting with cooking validations, and coordinating sample packaging. Local candidates only.