R & D Product Development Specialist

Girard's Foodservice Dressings; California (MO); On-site; USD 67,500 - 82,500; Full time

Job summary

Girard's Foodservice Dressings in City of Industry, CA is seeking a salaried Product Development professional to design and improve dressings and sauces using food science, chemistry and microbiology. The role involves ensuring product safety, regulatory compliance, and transitioning new items from bench to production.

You will collaborate with customers on sample changes, develop nutrition labels, and ensure labeling accuracy per standards; HACCP risk assessment is part of daily duties.

Qualifications

• Must hold a degree in a technical field (Food Science, Chemistry, Microbiology) or equivalent experience.
• 2-3 years in a product development role, preferably in food science.
• Proficient in statistical charts and data analysis.
• Strong communication, leadership and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Research and develop dressings and sauces aligned with consumer trends and customer requests.
• Coordinate with customers for development changes and provide revisions within timelines.
• Develop label formats and ensure USDA labeling compliance with identity standards.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and study microbiological, physical, and chemical properties.
• Support bench-to-production transition and validate recipes for production scale.
• Create detailed mixing instructions and maintain documentation for new products.

Skills

Food Science degree

Product development

Data analysis

Leadership

Teamwork

Education

Food Science / Chemistry / Microbiology degree

Job description

GENERAL SUMMARY

This is a salaried position in City of Industry, CA that reports to the R&D Supervisor. Designs & creates new products or alters & improves existing products; use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, & other sciences to study the principle underlying the processing & deterioration of products. Develops specifications & ensures products are produced in compliance with established quality parameters. Supports transition of new products from bench top to production scale. Ensures that new products developed meet all regulatory & customer requirements; follows HACCP steps to ensure product safety & stability.

SCOPE OF JOB FUNCTION

• Research & develop dressings & sauces that are in trend with consumer preference for new product profiles as per specific customer request.
• Coordinate with customers for needed changes on development samples; provide revisions as per customer timeline.
• Develop label formats per customer specifications, USDA labeling & standard of identity compliance.
• Ensure that product formulations comply with regulatory & industry standards, studies the microbiological, physical, & chemical properties of finished products & ingredients.
• Conduct HACCP analysis on new raw materials used for product development as well as new finished products developed.
• Develop detailed mixing instructions to ensure that products are manufactured optimally & consistently meet the specifications.
• Create nutrition label & ingredient statements in compliance with NLEA (Nutrition Labeling Enforcement Act); ensure compliance with nutrition label claims.
• Ensure that checklist for new product development is completed before product launch, emphasis on batch check & packaging specifications.
• Work with the Mix Deck mixers & helpers during the first 3 productions of new products to ensure that correct materials are used, validate recipe & mixing instructions.
• Update mix deck recipe to include new products approved or changes as per SCR to be consistent with ROSS.
• Complete Private Label Specification as per customer required Formats (Ready Pac, Tropical Smoothie, Longo’s, etc.) including web site specs up-date.
• Evaluate raw material substitutes for specs deviation typically due to shortage or supplier issues; done by actual product application & group sensory.
• Develop re-work order for complicated products put “On Hold- MRB;” non-compliance that needs actual product application confirmatory test.
• Evaluate results of competitive product analysis to benchmark GFF products against competition.
• Shelf-life studies on challenge studies.
• SOP/SSOP review & development.
• HACCP risk assessment.
• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE

Required

• Must have a Degree in Technical Course (Food Science, Chemistry, Microbiology, etc.) or equivalent work experience.
• 2-3 years’ experience in Product Development position.
• Skilled in statistical charts & data analysis.
• Good communication, leadership, & interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work well with team members & other departments.

Desired

• Knowledge of manufacturing environment & practices.

Salary Description: 75000.00