Senior R&D Chef

Wild Alaskan Company; United States; Remote; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A seafood company is seeking a Senior R&D Chef to create and commercialize value-added seafood products. This role involves research from development through pilot runs and requires advanced culinary skills and 6+ years of R&D experience. The position supports a remote working environment.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of R&D experience in a commercial setting.
• Expertise in seafood preparation and product development.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Responsibilities

• Develop value-added seafood products from bench to commercial.
• Support scale-up and collaborate with NPD, QA, and Supply Chain.
• Conduct sensory evaluations and optimize products.

Skills

Culinary skills

Sensory evaluation

Document management

Problem-solving skills

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent training

Job description

Wild Alaskan Company’s mission is to accelerate humanity’s transition to sustainable food systems by fostering meaningful, interconnected relationships between human beings, wild seafood and the planet.

We deliver wild-caught, sustainable seafood to households across the United States. Powered by our custom-built eCommerce platform and three generations of history and expertise in the Alaskan fishing industry, we constantly strive to meet our promise of a top-notch product and experience. And we do it all in a fully-remote environment that is fast-paced, challenging, and fun.

GENERAL ROLE DESCRIPTION

The Senior R&D Chef is responsible for creating, refining, and commercializing value-added seafood products from benchtop-level development through pilot runs to gold standard establishment. This hands-on culinary role combines technical expertise with creativity to develop products that meet flavor, quality, and cost requirements while supporting commercial scale-up activities. The role will significantly increase product launches while ensuring faster commercialization and building new processes within the growing team Innovation/NPD team.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Research, develop, and refine value-added seafood products from bench development through pilot to gold standard
• Cultivate deep knowledge of company's ingredient standards; source and qualify ingredients that adhere to strict sourcing guidelines
• Support scale-up and commercial production runs in collaboration with NPD Director, QA, and Supply Chain
• Conduct sensory evaluations and iterate on products to optimize flavor, quality, cost, and ingredient alignment
• Organize and update specifications, recipes, and trial documentation
• Travel to co-manufacturing facilities for onboardings, trials, and scale-up activities as needed

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Culinary degree or equivalent professional training, with 6+ years of R&D experience in a commercial setting
• Advanced culinary skills with expertise in seafood preparation and product development
• Sensory evaluation skills capabilities of consumer feedback analysis
• Proven experience with bench-to-pilot-to-commercial scale-up processes
• Able to work independently while collaborating across functions
• Strong document management skills and proficiency in establishing processes
• Willingness to travel to co-manufacturing partners for trials and production support
• Understanding of food safety, quality standards, and regulatory requirements
• Capacity manage multiple projects and prioritize effectively
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Physical ability to work in kitchen/lab environments and production facilities

NICE TO HAVES

• Knowledge of direct-to-consumer (DTC) and retail product requirements
• Familiarity with cost analysis and ingredient sourcing
• Experience working with contract manufacturers
• Understanding of ingredient procurement and onboarding
• Background in foodservice and retail product development

Wild Alaskan Company is an equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against candidates on the basis of their disability, sex, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, veteran status, or any other protected status under the law. We are committed to creating a work environment that fosters growth, celebrates diversity and fundamentally makes all teammates feel welcome, accepted, nurtured and respected.