Job Description:
The Associate Manager, Culinary Science owns the scientific and technical workstreams that support the development, validation, commercialization, and continuous improvement of food products for the Food Programs & Offers team. This role independently plans and leads sensory studies, product testing, nutrition analysis, technical documentation, and data-driven evaluations to ensure products meet quality, food safety, regulatory, operational, financial, and guest expectations. Serving as a subject matter resource, the Associate Manager translates complex technical findings into clear recommendations, leads cross-functional workstreams, and drives disciplined processes that improve product readiness and execution at scale.
Responsibilities:
Sensory Science, Product Testing & Validation
- Own the design, execution, analysis, and reporting of sensory studies for new and existing products, selecting appropriate methods and translating findings into actionable recommendations.
- Lead product testing, yield analysis, shelf-life studies, holding-time assessments, and performance evaluations from test planning through final recommendation.
- Establish testing protocols, acceptance criteria, documentation standards, and decision points that support consistent product validation and commercialization readiness.
- Lead technical troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for product quality, consistency, preparation, or performance concerns and recommend corrective actions.
- Provide scientific guidance on formulations, ingredients, processing, nutrition, and sensory performance to improve product quality, operational feasibility, and guest experience.
Technical Documentation, Nutrition & Data Governance
- Own the accuracy, governance, and lifecycle management of technical documentation, recipe builds, ingredient information, product specifications, nutrition panels, and related approvals.
- Lead nutrition analysis and database management, including validation, change control, approvals, and issue resolution in partnership with Food Safety, Quality, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.
- Establish and maintain reliable systems for samples, formulations, equipment tests, yields, shelf life, sensory data, and technical results to improve traceability and decision-making.
- Perform and review advanced calculations related to recipe scaling, yields, percentages, unit conversions, nutrition data, and statistical analysis.
- Identify documentation or data gaps, assess risk, and implement sustainable controls and process improvements.
Regulatory, Food Safety & Quality Leadership
- Serve as a key technical partner to Food Safety and Quality teams on product validation, specifications, labeling, allergen information, nutrition information, and regulatory documentation.
- Interpret applicable requirements and translate them into practical product-development standards, testing protocols, documentation, and stakeholder guidance.
- Lead periodic audits of digital and physical product assets and coordinate timely correction of discrepancies involving ingredients, formulations, recipe builds, labels, and specifications.
- Apply working knowledge of food safety standards, HACCP, GMP, SQF practices, ServSafe principles, and food product labeling requirements when evaluating products and processes.
- Proactively identify technical, regulatory, quality, or food safety risks and escalate or resolve issues based on business impact.
Commercialization & Cross-Functional Project Leadership
- Lead assigned technical workstreams through product development, commercialization planning, launch readiness, and post-launch evaluation, managing timelines, dependencies, risks, and deliverables.
- Present technical findings, recommendations, tradeoffs, and risks to Product Development, Category, Marketing, Operations, Training, Food Safety, Quality, suppliers, and leaders.
- Influence cross-functional decisions by balancing scientific rigor with guest expectations, operational feasibility, cost, quality, speed, and business priorities.
- Coordinate supplier and partner inputs, challenge incomplete or inconsistent technical information, and drive closure of open issues before key decision points.
- Develop repeatable tools, templates, methods, and training that strengthen technical capability and improve consistency across the product-development process.
Test Kitchen & Team Capability Support
- Partner with the Culinary Manager to establish Test Kitchen standards for sample control, inventory accuracy, equipment readiness, sanitation, scheduling, and operational documentation.
- Plan and facilitate product samplings, prototype evaluations, technical reviews, and cross-functional testing sessions.
- Provide day-to-day technical guidance, peer coaching, and quality review for less-experienced team members or project contributors; formal direct reports are not required.
- Up to 20% domestic travel required.
- Perform additional job duties and tasks as required.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science, Culinary Science, Nutrition or related field preferred.
- 4+ years of experience in food product R&D for QSR, manufacturing or foodservice retail preferred.
- Experience with sensory testing, recipe documentation, and nutrition development.
- Experience working in ESHA Genesis or other Nutrition Management Systems
- Working knowledge of HACCP, GMP, SQF Practices, and food product labeling requirements
- Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant software.
- Strong math skills include calculations of percentages, scaling recipes & yields, and unit of measurement conversions, statistical analysis, etc.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work well with others and participate as part of a team.
- Serve Safe certification a plus.
