Food Technologist, R&D

Food Technologist, R&D

Location:

Newark, CA, US

At Aspire Bakeries, we create foods that bring people together. From artisan breads to cookies, our products are enjoyed by millions of people every day. We're looking for hard-working people who will bring integrity, creativity, and a passion for excellence to everything they do. In return, we offer a workplace culture built on care, ownership, and growth.

With 13 commercial bakeries across North America and a reputation as an industry leader, Aspire Bakeries is rising together with our people and our customers to be the best all-around bakery solution. If you're ready to grow with us, we'd love to hear from you.

Why You'll Love Working At Aspire Bakeries:

• Culture - Our culture thrives on collaboration, diversity, and a shared passion for excellence.
• Health & Wellness – Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus company-paid life insurance and additional voluntary options to fit your needs.
• Work-Life Balance – Paid parental leave, generous paid time off, and holidays.
• Retirement Savings – A competitive registered retirement plan (RPP) with immediate company match.
• Growth & Development – Opportunities to build skills, grow your career, and develop expertise through Aspire Bakeries' learning and development programs.
• Recognition & Rewards – Performance incentive plans that celebrate achievements across sales, bakery performance, and individual contributions.

About the Role:

We are seeking a Food Technologist, R&D to join our team at our Newark, CA bakery. As a Food Technologist, you will be accountable for developing innovative bakery products and optimizing existing formulations to meet customer expectations, market trends, and operational excellence. This role plays a critical part in bringing customer-centric products from concept to commercialization while ensuring quality, compliance, and scalability.

This role requires you to be onsite in Newark, CA four days per week, giving you hands-on collaboration with the team and daily exposure to the pulse of the business.

Compensation Salary Range: $68,000- $91,000

Core Accountabilities:

• Lead new product development initiatives aligned to customer needs, trends, and business objectives.
• Optimize and continuously improve existing formulations for quality, cost, and compliance.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with operations, marketing, procurement, and regulatory teams.
• Serve as a technical resource for bakery operations and support production runs and troubleshooting.
• Translate R&D concepts into scalable, commercially viable products through structured processes.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation, specifications, and ingredient records.
• Evaluate and approve ingredients, suppliers, and testing protocols to ensure product integrity.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree (BS) or Associate degree (AA) in Food Science or related field.
• 1–2 years of experience in industrial food development or transferable R&D experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint).
• Strong understanding of food science principles, including ingredient functionality and testing methods.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across cross-functional teams.
• Ability to meet physical requirements, including standing for extended periods and lifting up to 50 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Culinary development or bakery product experience.
• Experience with SAP, Genesis, or similar systems.
• Knowledge of food regulations, labeling, and market trends (e.g., clean label, ingredient restrictions).
• Fluency in Spanish.
• Experience with concept-to-commercialization processes in food manufacturing.

Aspire Bakeries LLC values the contribution each Team Member brings to our organization. The final determination of a successful candidate's starting pay will vary based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to location, shift, education, skill, and experience within the job or the industry.