Food Scientist - Technical Services

Major Recruitment; Santa Fe Springs (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Major Talent partners with a food ingredients business on the West Coast to hire a Technical Support Specialist. You will provide hands-on laboratory oversight, QA support, and customer-facing technical assistance to ensure product quality and regulatory compliance, while collaborating cross-functionally to drive improvements.

The role offers growth toward technical leadership as responsibilities expand, balancing operations with proactive problem solving in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Food Science, Biology, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in a food/ingredient laboratory environment.
• Knowledge of analytical instrumentation and testing methodologies.
• Understanding of FDA regulations, GMP, and food safety requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on laboratory oversight and QA support to ensure product quality and regulatory compliance.
• Lead testing sample preparation, documentation, and technical presentations for customers.
• Manage laboratory equipment calibration, maintenance schedules, and vendor relationships.
• Support product formulation and custom ingredient development, and assist with regulatory documentation.
• Establish and enforce quality standards for testing materials and products, and help develop SOPs.
• Collaborate across departments to ensure timely communication and project timelines.
• Maintain professional knowledge through continuing education and industry involvement.
• Other related duties as assigned to support company growth.

Skills

Leadership experience

Documentation/SOP development

Analytical instrumentation knowledge

FDA regulations knowledge

Education

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

Job description

Major Talent is partnered with a food ingredients business in the United States that offers a range of products to the Nutrition, Pharmaceutical and Food and Beverage industries. Due to continued growth, they are looking for a Technical Support Specialist to join the team on the West Coast

As a Technical Support Specialist, you willmanage day-to-day technical and quality assurance operations, providing hands‑on laboratory oversight and customer‑facing technical support to ensure product quality, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction. This role requires a proactive, solutions‑oriented professional who can balance operational execution with cross‑functional collaboration while driving continuous improvement. It also offers a clear opportunity for growth into a technical leadership or team lead position as responsibilities expand

Responsibilities of a Technical Support Specialist

• Provide technical support to the sales team on product specifications and applications
• Lead customer sample preparation and technical presentations
• Manage laboratory equipment, calibration, maintenance schedules, and vendor relationships
• Support product formulation and custom ingredient development
• Schedule and prioritise testing activities and sample processingAid in developing and documenting testing methods, quality control procedures, and raw material standards
• Help create comprehensive technical documentation for regulatory compliance and product quality
• Establish and enforce quality standards for testing materials and products
• Implement in-process product inspection standards
• Foster food safety culture and ensure compliance with GMP and industry regulations
• Serve as liaison between technical operations and other departments
• Collaborate with procurement on supplier communications, material approvals, and supplier qualifications
• Manage cross-departmental project timelines and communication
• Maintain professional knowledge through continuing education and industry involvement
• Other related duties as assigned to support company growth

Skills required to be a Technical Support Specialist

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Food Science, Biology, or related scientific field
• 5+ years of experience in a food/ingredient laboratory environment
• Knowledge of analytical instrumentation and testing methodologies
• Understanding of FDA regulations, GMP, and food safety requirements
• Strong documentation and SOP development skills
• Leadership experience managing technical staff
• Experience with ingredient labeling, nutritional data, and FDA/USDA documentation requirements
• Exposure to document management systems or LIMS
• Understanding of ingredient specifications and supplier qualification processes
• Interest in developing expertise in food ingredient regulations and technical operations