Corporate Food Scientist

QuikTrip Corporation•Tulsa, OK

About The Position

This position is responsible for the back-end development of menu items for QT ensuring go-to-market readiness that work within QT’s operational guardrails. Supports the Front-End Development team and Food Innovation & Product Development Manager in product development and production scale, along with daily execution of R&D related activities (NPD/PLM). Works directly with suppliers to commercialize menu items for QT brand. Evaluates current and alternative food ingredients, creates product recipes and leads equipment R&D to ensure QT meets customer needs and requirements. Provides periodical assistance to QA and Operations team.

Requirements

Bachelor of Food Science or directly related field.
2+ years’ experience as a food scientist/technologist foodservice experience developing food menu items. OR equivalent QuikTrip experience.
Moderate research and development skills
Ability to work with others in a collaborative environment
foodservice and foodservice equipment &/or Manufacturing Equipment knowledge
Basic food cost process knowledge.

Nice To Haves

Master of Food Science or directly related field.
5+ years’ experience as a food scientist/technologist foodservice experience developing food menu items.
Familiarity research and development skills
Proven ability to work with others in a collaborative environment
excellent foodservice, foodservice equipment &/or Manufacturing equipment knowledge
Understanding of food cost process knowledge.

Responsibilities

Responsible for back end development testing and implementation of menu items.
Lead Product &/or Platform Concepts through the final Develop. Validate testing and Implement Stages of the New Product Development process.
Validate New Supplier by evaluating product capabilities. This may include travel to supplier to evaluate production runs.
Validate Operational Process and capabilities through experiments, analyze, and interpret data to make sound foodservice operational recommendations.
Develop a protocol to establish raw goods/material specifications for each menu item and key formulations for specific menu items manufactured for QT.
Create & perform periodic testing to insure specifications and key formulations are adhered to by CSM and Supplier(s) to QT Kitchens.
Process Improvement by monitoring product/platforms, inspecting procedures/processes used in all aspects of development and production to identify opportunities and efficiencies.
Use Root Cause Analysis to understand problems, possible causes and solutions against product development projects along with Store Employee, DOMA and Consumer complaints to future proof the brand.
Report all work and pertinent information through New Product Development (NPD) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system and serve as relief for Documents Control Coordinator.
Manage multiple projects and priorities in a rapidly changing environment.
Responsible for back end Equipment Engineering development and implementation for QT Foodservice programs to include QT Kitchens and/or Self-Serve and may include QTK Manufacturing Equipment Testing.
Interface with supporting teams to create testing parameters to achieve goals.
Manage lab equipment and schedule testing.
Calibrate and maintain test equipment.
Execute equipment validation and various studies as directed by QT Food Innovation & Product Development Manager.
Run QT & QTK equipment - document performance and test findings.
Experimental design and data acquisition.
Support product demonstrations.
Collect and analyze equipment data and communicate to QT Internal Teams (Food Innovation & Product Development Manager, CSM, Operations, FS, Vice President of Sales, QA. This could also include QTK Regional Managers & QTK Manager).
Provide field support for FS & Operations in product and processing trials.
Analyze operational data and provide recommendations.
Work with Operations to collect labor/process data and build labor standards through Trouble Shooting Guides and Time & Motion Studies.
Determine equipment capacities.
Evaluate and provides human factor (ergonomic) recommendations.
Sensory Testing – Define, analyze, and interpret data to make sound recommendations along with assisting in the creation of Sensory Test Brief(s) and serve as a Back-Up for Sensory experiments when needed.
Explore and recommend new methods/techniques/technologies for sensory/consumer research. Advise best practices to Food Innovation & Product Development Manager.
Innovate and/or adapt best practices from competition, vendors, new product developments, etc., and recommend to Food Innovation & Product Development Manager and Food Team/Sales staff.
Be aware of industry developments with focus on food science, sensory science R&D.
Attend courses, seminars and trade shows.
Use suppliers as a resource.
Be aware of and utilize new technology for new sales and lowering the cost of goods.