Annual Bonus: 15% (Objectives to be defined by Manager)

Position Summary The Sr. Development Chef leads the development, testing, scale-up, and commercialization of innovative meal solutions and other Artisan Chef Manufacturing Co. capabilities. This role provides senior culinary and technical leadership, translating customer needs and market opportunities into high-quality, scalable, cost-effective food products while partnering cross-functionally to support business growth.

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Key Responsibilities

Product Development & Innovation

· Lead the development of new recipes and meal solutions aligned with customer needs, market insights, and company growth priorities

· Own innovation projects from concept through commercialization, including timelines, technical milestones, and risk mitigation

· Plan and lead product trials, validations, plant scale-ups, and commercialization runs in manufacturing environments

· Lead continuous improvement of existing products to enhance quality, consistency, cost, yield, and performance

Technical Execution

· Lead advanced product testing, sensory evaluation, analysis, and troubleshooting across development and production stages

· Ensure accurate, complete documentation of formulations, processes, specifications, trial results, and commercialization learnings

· Resolve complex formulation, processing, ingredient, and production challenges using strong technical judgment

· Use analytical tools, data, and structured experimentation to guide product decisions and validate solutions

· Develop products against defined cost targets while supporting customer pricing expectations and margin requirements

Quality & Compliance

· Partner proactively with Quality Assurance to ensure products meet food safety, regulatory, labeling, and customer standards

· Lead technical input for ingredient approvals, supplier evaluations, and new item setup with Purchasing and QA

· Maintain and reinforce compliance with food manufacturing regulations, internal standards, and commercialization procedures

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Support

· Serve as a senior technical partner to Marketing, Sales, Operations, Procurement, and Quality to deliver customer-focused solutions

· Guide and support R&D team members across a broader portfolio of development projects, including bread, stuffed breads, pizza, sauces, and pasta

· Lead customer presentations, product demonstrations, innovation reviews, and plant trials as needed

· Build and advance a pipeline of innovative, manufacturable products that support company growth

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Qualifications & Skills

· 8-12+ years of progressive experience in food product development, culinary innovation, or technical services within food manufacturing

· Advanced knowledge of food formulation, processing, scale-up, commercialization, and manufacturing constraints

· Demonstrated experience leading stage-gate or structured product development processes from concept to launch

· Proficiency in Microsoft Office, product documentation systems, and development tools used to manage formulas, costs, and specifications

· Strong understanding of food safety, quality systems, regulatory requirements, and customer approval processes

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Core Competencies

· Advanced technical problem-solving, analytical thinking, and sound decision-making skills

· Ability to prioritize and lead multiple complex projects in a fast-paced manufacturing environment

· Strong communication and influencing skills across all organizational levels, with customers, and with external partners

· High level of ownership, follow-through, organization, and attention to detail

· Ability to lead through ambiguity, align stakeholders, and drive projects to measurable results

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Additional Requirements

· Experience collaborating with external partners, including vendors, suppliers, co-manufacturers, or research institutions, is preferred

· Budget awareness and ability to manage development work within cost, timeline, and resource expectations

· Ability to work occasional weekends as business needs require

· Willingness to travel uup to 25-35%

Pay: $50.00 - $57.69 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person