R&D Chef

Provide research-driven innovation for raw value-added proteins and fully cooked sous vide products. You will be integral in scaling up production and ensuring product quality aligns with our vision for unparalleled growth and excellence in the food industry.

• Participate and contribute in cross-functional teams to drive new product innovation.
• Identify gaps in our portfolio through competitive analysis of our categories.
• Comparison shop and perform competitive product analysis.
• Create and execute on-trend innovation ideas and formulas for foodservice and retail channels.
• Coordinate multiple concurrent product development projects from bench-top testing to production commercialization.
• Manage new product development projects and assist in setting specifications, including sourcing ingredients, establishing equipment requirements, and determining manufacturing processes.
• Assist operations and production in new product scale-ups.
• Performance test developed products based on use case.
• Provide new product specifications to Regulatory, Sales, QA, and Purchasing.
• Develop and validate cooking and reheat instructions for retail packaging and applicable foodservice items.
• Process, schedule, produce, inventory, and ship product samples.
• Organize ingredient inventory and request necessary ingredients for development projects.
• Manage and execute production sample evaluations and document results.
• Prepare food for in-house evaluations, including shelf-life studies.
• Serve as a culinary expert for internal and external events, such as trade shows and sales calls.
• Prepare and serve food for customer presentations.
• Provide technical support services to the sales team, with occasional overnight travel.
• Maintain expert knowledge of industrial sous vide cooking, including understanding of CCPs and ability to program cooking apparatuses accordingly.
• Adhere to and enforce all GMPs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts with a concentration in food science or R&D preferred.
• 6 months intern experience and/or 1 to 2 years of R&D Chef experience.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite, particularly with intermediate skills in MS Excel.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to interact professionally with teammates, including under stressful situations.
• Proven problem-solving skills and ability to organize a large volume of information in a fast-moving, dynamic environment.
• Experience with sous vide cooked protein and shelf-life extension is highly preferred.

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I are embedded into our culture through:

• Hiring diverse talent
• Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
• Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
• Ensuring growth opportunities for our people

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.