Food Scientist

About This Role

Working as a Food Scientist or Chemist, you will be responsible for product quality from production through shelf life, ensuring appearance, texture, taste, and durability meet top standards. This role involves investigating quality defects, refining formulas, and implementing lasting solutions, working closely with the Head of QA and reporting directly to company leadership.

Responsibilities

• Establish measurable quality standards for all products (texture, flexibility, size, color, moisture, water activity, pH, chip breakage, and oil quality) and maintain a tracking scorecard
• Lead root cause investigations for quality defects and customer complaints through to verified resolution
• Optimize shelf life using anti-staling enzymes, shortening/emulsifier systems, pH/water-activity control, and preservative strategies
• Establish and oversee an oil-quality program for chip production
• Work directly on the production floor with supervisors and operators to translate technical findings into standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Maintain all product formulas and ingredient specifications
• Evaluate alternative flours, masa, oils, and functional ingredients via bench and plant trials to achieve ingredient, yield, and scrap savings
• Build and manage a pipeline of new items and line extensions from concept through commercial launch
• Partner with QA to provide formulation and nutritional data

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or related scientific discipline
• 0–3+ years of experience in food manufacturing, bench laboratory work, R&D, product development, technical services with formulation experience, shelf-life testing, and moisture analysis
• Strong understanding of dough and starch chemistry, fats and oils, and shelf-life testing protocols
• Proven track record of solving quality issues with measurable outcomes
• Experience planning and executing plant-scale production trials
• Clear written and verbal communication skills with the ability to report directly to senior leadership
• Bilingual English/Spanish language (verbal communication with production teams)

Nice to have:

• 2-5 years direct experience in baking, tortilla, bread, snack, or chip manufacturing
• M.S. in Food Science
• Experience with anti-staling enzymes, emulsifiers, leavening, and preservative systems
• Formal training in root cause analysis and corrective action (CAPA)

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Paid Vacation and Paid Sick Leave
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
• Supplemental Insurance Options (Life, Accident, and Critical Illness)