What are the responsibilities and job description for the R & D Kitchen Supervisor position at FullSteam?
Now Hiring a Kitchen R & D Supervisor for a large food DC in Fontana, CA
Shidt: TBD
Pay: $68K
Benefits: Medical, Dental, A & D, Life, Merit Pay
Job Title: Kitchen R&D Supervisor
Reports to: DC Manager / Kitchen General Manager
Job Purpose: Provides leadership to a team of direct reports while serving as a key contributor to R&D projects. Responsible for delivering product development initiatives that meet customer objectives for time, scope, and cost. Leads innovation and technology initiatives to support strategic business objectives, ensuring all activities align
with SQF 9th Edition guidelines, food safety standards, and regulatory compliance
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Leadership & Strategic Management
- Reporting to General Manager the R&D Manager serves as a project and product champion, managing a balanced product portfolio across the team.
- Ensures new customer projects align with company capabilities and strategic goals.
- Collaborates with Sales, QA, and Operations to define project scope, customer needs, and deliverables.
- Oversees the development and commercialization of new products, line extensions, and product improvements.
Product Development
- Leads the complete product development lifecycle: conceptual development, formulation, process validation, scale-up, and continuous improvement.
- Ensures all product development activities comply with SQF 9th Edition requirements, including food safety, allergen management, and documentation standards.
- Mentors team members, reviews project outcomes, and approves next steps in the development process.
- Ensures cost optimization, nutritional adequacy, and customer satisfaction in all product formulations.
Food Safety and Compliance
- Develops and implements procedures that align with SQF guidelines, including validation and verification of food safety controls in product and process design.
- Reviews product formulations to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements for labeling, nutritional claims, and allergen management.
- Partners with the QA team to address product non-conformance incidents and implement preventive measures.
- Collaborate with suppliers to evaluate raw materials for safety, quality, and consistency.
Process and Supply Chain Support
- Supports formula transfer between facilities, evaluating process parameters and supply chain efficiency.
- Partners with operations to optimize critical control points and ensure process repeatability.
- Leads process evaluation testing to ensure products meet food safety and quality standards during production scale-up.
Documentation and Record Keeping
- Develops and maintains comprehensive records, including specifications, risk assessments, and validation reports.
- Ensures proper documentation for all R&D projects as required by SQF,
FDA, USDA, and other regulatory bodies.
- Creates detailed final project reports to communicate results and improvements effectively.
Employee Management
- Directs, supervises, and develops team members, fostering a positive and productive work environment.
- Collaborates with HR for recruitment, performance management, and training to ensure the team’s capabilities align with company goals.
- Encourages continuous learning and ensures all team members understand and comply with SQF principles.
Education and/or Experience:
Technical Experience
- Minimum 5 years of experience in commercial product/process development, including leadership roles.
- Expertise in food formulation, ingredient functionality, and nutrition.
- Comprehensive understanding of SQF 9th Edition guidelines, HACCP principles, and regulatory requirements (FDA, USDA, FSMA).
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and industry-specific software (e.g., Genesis, SAP).
Education
- Required: Bachelor’s degree in Food science, Culinary Arts, or related field, or 4 years of relevant work experience.
- Preferred: Advanced degree in Food Science, Culinary Arts or a related field.
Additional Requirements
- Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and external stakeholders.
-Ability to travel domestically (~25%) for meetings, production support, and customer collaboration.
- Capacity to work in manufacturing environments and lift to 50 lbs. as needed.
Competencies
-Customer Focus: Builds strong relationships and delivers solutions that exceed expectations.
-Business Insight: Applies knowledge of the food industry to drive innovation and competitive advantage.
- Cultivates Innovation: Develops creative solutions and brings them to market successfully.
-Manages Complexity: Analyzes problems holistically and makes informed decisions.
Physical Demands:
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
-Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Lifting up to 50lbs
- Sitting at a computer for long periods of time
- Standing for several period of time
- Climbing stairs
- Certified on MHE Equipment (Electric Pallet Jack, Sit Down, Reach)
Work Environment:
- The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
-Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities
to perform the essential functions.
- Ability to work in a Distribution Center environment with a variation of
temperatures.
#IND-H
Salary : $68,000
