SENIOR FOOD SCIENTIST

Clyde's Donuts; Addison (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan options

Dental plan

Vision plan

401(k) matching

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Job summary

The Clyde’s Donuts Food Scientist role will lead renovation and innovation-based R&D projects from concept to commercialization for Clyde’s portfolio. You will support marketing and sales with technical insights to drive customer-centric strategies.

Ideal candidates have a Bachelor’s in Food Science with at least 5 years in applied lab research, specifically in donuts or bakery ingredients, and strong data interpretation and problem-solving skills. This position is based in Addison, IL.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or closely related field.
• At least 5 years of professional lab research experience, specifically with donuts, baking ingredients, or confections.
• Strong understanding of food chemistry and formulation science.

Responsibilities

• Lead renovation projects to improve mixes, icings, glazes, fillings, and toppings for better eye appeal, taste, texture, shelf life, and stability.
• Drive product innovation by collaborating with sales, marketing, and operations on new product opportunities and scaling up from concept to commercialization.
• Design, execute, and interpret testing protocols; conduct bench-top and full-scale production trials; analyze data and make data-driven recommendations.
• Collaborate with QA, regulatory, supply chain, production, and marketing to ensure safety, quality, and scalable processes.

Skills

Lab research experience

Donuts / baking ingredients

Food chemistry knowledge

Data analysis

Scientific writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or related field

Job description

Welcome to Clyde’s Donuts! Over a century ago, the Bickford family took ownership of Clyde’s Delicious Donuts. Since 1920, our company has grown to become a beloved name, known for our innovative and high-quality donuts that delight taste buds of all ages. Today, Clyde’s is a thriving, high growth, 4th generation family-owned food manufacturer and a leading national supplier of donuts to the largest global retailers in mass grocery, convenience stores, and food service. Our Company is financially strong with a consistent track record of stability and growth under the careful leadership of the Bickford family. We invite you to consider a career with our special company.

Summary Of Position

Reporting to the Director of R&D, the Food Scientist will lead renovation and innovation-based research and development projects from concept through commercialization for Clyde’s portfolio of products to ensure that our offerings meet/ exceed customer expectations and requirements. The Food Scientist will provide technical support to marketing and sales efforts to execute customer-centric R&D strategies.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Product Renovation

• Act with urgency to address consumer requests, feedback and quality concerns through product enhancements and modifications.
• Improve existing formulations for mixes, icings, glazes, fillings, and toppings to enhance product attributes such as eye appeal, taste, texture, shelf life, and stability.
• Reformulate products to meet emerging trends such as clean labels, reduced sugar, plant-based, or allergen-free requirements.
• Optimize ingredient use for cost efficiency, nutritional benefits, and process improvements.

Product Innovation

• Collaborate with sales, marketing, and operations teams to identify market trends and new product opportunities.
• Create and commercialize new donut products innovating recipes, flavors, and formulations to expand our product portfolio.
• Facilitate the new product development lifecycle, including ideation, prototyping, sensory evaluation, and scale-up so that projects are completed on time and on budget.
• Research and implement new food technologies, emerging ingredients, and process improvements to enhance product differentiation.
• Work closely with ingredient suppliers to source and test new raw materials for potential formulation enhancements.

Testing & Validation

• Design, execute, and interpret testing protocols for product and ingredient functionality.
• Conduct controlled bench-top and full-scale production trials to validate product performance.
• Analyze data from testing and make data-driven recommendations for improvements.
• Collaborate with supply chain, production, and marketing teams to optimize production processes ensuring scalability, cost optimization, quality, and product integrity.

Other

• Collaborate with quality assurance and regulatory teams to stay current on food safety regulations implementing updates to processes and documentation as required.
• Collaborate with project management team to drive state gate process execution.
• Follow Company SOPs regarding food safety, good manufacturing practices (GMPs), quality, and safety at all times. Promptly report any concerns to the appropriate manager.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or a closely related scientific discipline with at least 5 years of professional experience conducting applied research in a laboratory setting, with demonstrated hands‑on lab research experience. Specifically involving donuts OR baking ingredients (icings, glazes, or fillings) OR confections (specifically chocolate).
• Demonstrated research experience with ingredient systems including icings, glazes, fillings, or confections (particularly chocolates) emulsifiers, enzymes, stabilizers, and hydrocolloids — with a focus on functional performance and stability in complex food matrices.
• Strong theoretical and practical understanding of food chemistry, formulation science, and ingredient interaction effects under various processing conditions.

Desired Qualifications

• Proven experience designing, conducting, and analyzing controlled experiments aimed at optimizing formulations, improving ingredient performance, or solving functionality challenges in bakery applications.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in R&D or technical product development, including expertise in analytical testing methods, experimental design, sensory science, and shelf‑life modeling.
• In‑depth knowledge of food safety, quality systems, and regulatory frameworks as they relate to experimental product development and ingredient approval.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple research projects, analyze complex datasets, and draw scientifically sound conclusions.
• Excellent technical writing and communication skills, with experience preparing scientific reports, presenting research findings, and collaborating across cross‑functional teams including R&D, quality, and operations.

Desired Person Traits

• Passionate about food and exploring new ideas and technologies in food science.
• Enjoy working in a lab and production environment, testing and refining formulations.
• A self-starter with a strong work ethic who is flexible and operates with a sense of urgency.
• Upbeat, calm, and steady demeanor working with people in fast‑paced environments.
• Highly collaborative.

We Offer

Target compensation estimates are provided in good faith at the time of job posting. Job offers may vary based on the candidate’s education, certifications, job‑related knowledge, skill, experience, geographic location, shift, and internal equity. Clyde’s may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.

• Base salary range: $100,000 to $120,000.
• Position is eligible for an annual bonus.

Comprehensive Benefits

• Medical plan options including HMO, PPO and HDHP with H.S.A
• Dental Plan. Two plan options.
• Vision plan.
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
• Short-term and long-term disability plans (Company paid).
• Group term life and AD&D insurance (Company Paid).
• Voluntary insurance plans Including life, AD&D, accident, and critical illness.
• Generous paid time off benefits and 7 holidays.
• 401(k) plan including 4% matching contribution and immediate vesting.
• Tuition reimbursement program.
• Various leaves of absence programs for life’s emergencies.
• Clean, modern, and safe facilities.
• Company-provided uniforms and an annual safety shoe subsidy.

Sponsorship Not Available

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. Applicants must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States and with Clyde’s Donuts.

Work Environment and Job Physical Demands

• Exposure to moving mechanical parts.
• Exposure to wet and/or humid conditions.
• Exposure to extreme hot conditions on such equipment as operating fryers and extreme cold conditions such as blast spiral freezers.
• Exposure to noise, dust, and fumes.
• Standing and walking on slippery floors.
• Working in close proximity to equipment and other employees.
• Lifting of up to 50 pounds and movement of equipment.

Clyde’s Donuts is proud to be an equal opportunity/ reasonable accommodation employer.