Culinary R&D Specialist

Job Summary

The Culinary R&D Specialist plays a crucial role in supporting research and development chefs in creating innovative products. Responsibilities include maintaining a clean and organized Culinary Center, receiving and logging new raw material samples, preparing R&D samples for shipment, and providing culinary support by preparing and cooking customer samples. Additionally, this role serves as an ambassador for "Honoring Food".

• Execute sample recipes from start to finish with minimal supervision.
• Coordinate product orders and any other needs for special functions within the scope of R&D, whether on-site or off‑site.
• Manage inventory and record‑keeping for all new raw material samples.
• Coordinate product orders and arrange soup tastings for clients.
• Assist chefs during internal taste panels and customer visits, as necessary.
• Crosstrain on all R&D Technician duties to provide backfill.
• Additional responsibilities as needed.

• Associate's degree, or equivalent experience required
• Requires 1-3 years of experience
• On-the-job training of 3-6 months.
• Must be proficient with MS Office programs, specifically Excel and Outlook.

• Culinary training; i.e. cooking techniques / knife work / sanitation / HACCP / ingredient knowledge
• Ability to adapt and multi‑task via a dynamic work environment with a positive attitude
• Customer‑centric
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Keen attention to detail

• Work under close supervision with limited decision‑making authority.
• Indirectly interact with customers on matters of minor impact on revenue.
• Make indirect contributions to revenue‑generating efforts at a moderate level.
• Decisions or actions have a limited impact on the business, typically within the department.
• Errors are typically detected through routine verification/review but may result in some workflow disruption or repetition of work.
• Not responsible for influencing the decisions or actions of others.

This role is pivotal in supporting culinary innovation and maintaining high standards within the organization’s research and development processes.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Culinary R&D Specialist encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Work requires occasional physical exertion including some lifting of objects weighing up to 40 pounds
• Willing and able to stand for long periods of time

• Work performed by this position requires moderate mental concentration to effectively execute moderately complex tasks.
• Work requires continuous visual effort for extended periods of time.

• Employee works in a manufacturing setting with frequent exposure to heat/cold, dust, or other factors that may require protective equipment and still pose a hazard.
• This position has regular exposure to hazards that could result in significant injury and lengthy loss of time at work.
• Travel is not required for this position.

Kettle Cuisine complies with all aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state disability laws. This means we will not discriminate against qualified individuals with a disability in any phase of the employment relationship including application for employment, hiring, promotions and/or advancement opportunities, termination, compensation, training and any other conditions or privileges of employment.

The Culinary R&D Specialist base pay range $50,000 - 65,000 USD/annually. The listed salary range represents Kettle Cuisine’s good faith estimate for this position and represents the minimum and maximum for new hire salaries for the Lynn, MA location only. Ranges will be reviewed on a regular basis. An employee’s rate of pay within the range is determined by their qualifications, relevant experience, and demonstrated performance over time.

In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical to allow for future and continued salary growth. The Culinary R&D Specialist position is eligible for our comprehensive benefits package and is eligible for the annual discretionary bonus program up to 10%.

Kettle Cuisine and all its legal entities comply with all federal, state, and local minimum wage laws.