Bread Scientist

The J.M. Smucker Co.•Longmont, CO

5d•$93,500 - $135,300•Onsite

About The Position

The Bread Scientist is a technical leader in a high-volume bakery operation, owning the bread-making process from mixing through panning and slicing. The role applies baking science to address production challenges, improve bread quality and consistency, increase yield, reduce downtime, and identify cost and process improvements. It partners with Production, Engineering, R&D, other production sites, and external vendors, while developing the capabilities of bakery technicians, managers, and production teams. The position is based in Longmont, Colorado. The schedule is Monday through Friday, with flexibility to support operations during occasional evenings, nights, or weekends based on operational and business needs. The Colorado salary range is $93,500–$135,300.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
At least 2 years of food manufacturing experience required.
Ability to effectively engage, lead, and build capability on the production floor.
Ability to work and influence within a team environment.
Strong analytical troubleshooting, problem-solving, and root-cause identification skills.
Self-motivated and organized, with the ability to learn new skills and technologies quickly.
Strong time-management and prioritization skills, including the ability to manage several tasks through completion and meet the needs of multiple customers.
Proven project-management skills and technical problem-solving capability.
Excellent presentation, written, and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Suite applications.
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Willingness to work off-shifts or weekends as needed.

Nice To Haves

B.S. in Bread or Bakery Science.
Experience in sensory training, culinary work, recipe development, and tolerance testing.

Responsibilities

Understand the inputs, variables, testing methods, and cause-and-effect relationships involved in bread making and slicing.
Guide Bakery and Sandwich Making departments in improving operations, troubleshooting major problems, identifying cost savings, and evaluating new production opportunities.
Manage Bakery Lab Technicians.
Own plant bakery recipes from mixing through panning.
Identify key gaps in bread making and slicing and develop strategic plans to improve bread quality and weight variability, reduce downtime, and improve yield.
Identify and implement cost and process improvement projects to support stable, efficient operations, leading multiple initiatives simultaneously.
Develop expert-level understanding of the equipment, processes, and materials used in a high-volume bakery.
Partner with Department Managers to develop and deliver the business master plan, including technical and organizational projects, and provide technical support to bakery and sandwich-making departments.
Collaborate with production teams and leadership to eliminate process defects and improve productivity, safety, and quality.
Develop site technicians’ and managers’ understanding of baking process flow, inputs and outputs, control variables, and basic troubleshooting.
Model the Basic Beliefs and Our Commitment to Each Other.
Support a high-performance work culture by engaging with team members on the floor and coaching them to solve problems, make decisions, and become self-reliant.
Use High-Performance Organizational principles to develop leadership skills in individuals and Sandwich Making teams.
Manage ingredient variations effectively, including crop-year flour variations.
Manage the bakery lab and lab equipment, and establish site testing requirements and frequency.
Act as a technical leader on cross-functional teams delivering initiatives and departmental projects.
Work with R&D to create and improve formulations based on consumer and marketing feedback and sensory results.
Build strong relationships with Corporate R&D, other production sites, Engineering, and external vendors.
Help the organization stay current with new technologies, ingredients, product trends, and competitive activities.
Perform other tasks as required.