R&D Engineer

Job Description

The R&D Engineer is responsible for driving innovation and efficiency in the culinary aspects of the business. This role involves researching, developing, and optimizing food products and processes to enhance taste, quality, and cost-effectiveness. The engineer collaborates with QA, marketing and operation’s teams, suppliers, and cross-functional departments to introduce new menu items, improve existing recipes, and ensure consistency in flavor and production. Additionally, staying abreast of industry trends, customer preferences, and regulatory requirements is crucial for success in this role.

Key Responsabilities:

• Maintain accurate records of recipes, processes, and quality control measures to facilitate consistent production.
• Stay informed about food trends, competitor offerings, and industry developments to drive continuous improvement.
• Analyze the attributes of the products (cost and target dates, etc.) based on the requirements received, to understand guidelines and validate it.
• Prepare the timeline, lead, and execute projects assign and periodically report progress.
• Constantly do benchmarks of competition’s similar products, to explore attributes and characteristics we are competing against and evaluate/search for ways to be on top of them.
• Validate ingredients, process, and final products with cross functional teams to ensure an efficient implementation, quality, time and planned cost.
• Build and manage relationships with suppliers to secure high-quality ingredients and stay updated on market changes.
• Develop and introduce new menu items to enhance the restaurant's offerings, aligning with the R&D protocol to achieve prototypes that meet the requirements (flavor, quality, quantity), customer preferences and market trends.
• Create and optimize recipes, ensuring they meet taste, quality, and cost targets while adhering to brand standards.
• Work on cost-effective solutions for ingredients and processes to maintain profitability while meeting quality standards.
• Establish and maintain quality control measures for consistency in food preparation across multiple locations.
• Ensure that all food-related innovations comply with health and safety regulations and industry standards.
• Conduct taste tests and sensory evaluations to refine and improve the overall experience.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in food science or related field.
• Experience of 2-4 years in similar position in food relation, with knowledge of food technology or similar.
• Time will be spent 50/50 working at the corporate office and in restaurants to complete project goals.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to facilitate effective collaboration among team members and stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel nationwide up to 20%
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $80,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Language:

• Spanish (Preferred)

Willingness to travel:

• 50% (Required)

Work Location: On the road