Jr Culinary Innovation Food Scientist

Peco Foods•Tuscaloosa, AL

13h•Onsite

About The Position

The Junior Culinary Innovation Food Scientist conducts research, development, and commercialization activities within the Innovation Team. This role assists in experimental design, product formulation, process validation, and technical documentation for food products, ingredients, and packaging systems. The position is structured for career professionals and focuses on technical skill development, cross-functional collaboration, and execution of assigned innovation projects while ensuring compliance with company standards, regulatory requirements, and confidentiality obligations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Culinology, Culinary Science, or related technical discipline OR minimum 4 years of progressive culinary or food development experience in commercial, manufacturing, or research environments.
Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining high productivity and accountability.
Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
High level of accuracy and attention to detail in preparing and reviewing technical documentation.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Proven organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Adaptability and learning agility, with a willingness to quickly acquire new knowledge and adjust to changing priorities or business needs.
Ability to collaborate effectively within cross-functional teams while maintaining a high level of professionalism.
Strong sense of discretion and ethical judgment when handling sensitive or confidential information.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to product development or commercialization processes.
Knowledge of food safety systems, sensory evaluation, or nutritional databases.
Familiarity with ingredient functionality and formulation principles.
Experience supporting customer-facing culinary or technical presentations.

Responsibilities

Assist with research trials involving processed foods, ingredients, additives, and packaging materials.
Prepare technical documentation, including formulas, specifications, batch records, test reports, and presentations.
Execute bench-top, kitchen-scale, and pilot (test) product development trials.
Follow written protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and supervisor instructions.
Collaborate with cross-functional partners, including Quality, Regulatory, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Sales.
Maintain a clean, organized, and food-safe work environment in accordance with GMP and food safety standards.
Participate in customer meetings, social events (customer dinners, tailgate events, private functions hosted by Peco), customer-led demonstrations, product demonstrations, and tastings as assigned.
Support development of customer-specific menu concepts, product prototypes, and culinary applications.
Work in an operational setting for customer scale-ups (commercialization), yield improvements, and process flow validations.
Travel up to 40% for plant trials, customer presentations, supplier visits, or innovation sessions.
Work with raw and cooked animal proteins in laboratory, pilot, or kitchen settings.
Demonstrate professionalism in appearance, conduct, and communications.
Learn and integrate new systems, processes, and technologies within defined training timelines.
Maintain strict confidentiality regarding formulations, ingredient systems, processing parameters, technical data, and research findings.
Protect customer confidential information, including specifications, product requirements, commercialization plans, menu concepts, and strategic initiatives.
Safeguard internal intellectual property, trade secrets, innovation pipelines, process flows, operational practices, and R&D documentation.
Comply with all confidentiality agreements, information-security standards, and data-protection policies.
Refrain from unauthorized disclosure, duplication, or use of proprietary materials during or after employment.