Corporate Food Scientist

Job Title: Corporate Food Scientist

Job Type: Corporate Office

Date: Apr 16, 2026

Location: Tulsa, OK, 74134

This position is responsible for the back‑end development of menu items for QT, ensuring go‑to‑market readiness that works within QT’s operational guardrails. Supports the Front‑End Development team and Food Innovation & Product Development Manager in product development and production scale, along with daily execution of R & D related activities (NPD/PLM). Works directly with suppliers to commercialize menu items for QT brand.

Evaluates current and alternative food ingredients, creates product recipes and leads equipment R & D to ensure QT meets customer needs and requirements. Provides periodic assistance to QA and Operations team.

• Back‑end development testing and implementation of menu items (40%).
• Lead product and/or platform concepts through development, validate testing and implement stages of the New Product Development process.
• Validate new suppliers by evaluating product capabilities; may include travel to suppliers for production runs.
• Validate operational process and capabilities through experiments, analyze and interpret data to make sound food‑service operational recommendations.
• Develop protocols to establish raw goods/material specifications for each menu item and key formulations; create and perform periodic testing to ensure compliance; monitor product/platforms and inspect procedures for improvement opportunities.
• Use root‑cause analysis to understand problems, identify causes and solutions in product development projects and customer complaints.
• Report all work through NPD and Product Lifecycle Management system and serve as relief for Documents Control Coordinator.
• Manage multiple projects and priorities in a rapidly changing environment (5%).
• Back‑end equipment engineering development and implementation for QT Food service programs, including QT Kitchens, Self‑Serve and possible QTK Manufacturing Equipment testing (30%).
• Interface with supporting teams to create testing parameters; manage lab equipment and schedule testing; calibrate and maintain test equipment; execute equipment validation and studies.
• Run QT & QTK equipment, document performance and test findings; design experiments and acquire data; support product demonstrations.
• Collect and analyze equipment data, communicate findings to internal teams; provide field support for food service and operations in product and processing trials.
• Analyze operational data and provide recommendations; work with operations to collect labor/process data and build labor standards through troubleshooting guides and time & motion studies.
• Determine equipment capacities and evaluate ergonomic recommendations.
• Sensory testing: define, analyze, interpret data, assist in creating Sensory Test Briefs, and support experiments when needed (10%).
• Explore and recommend new methods, techniques, technologies for sensory/consumer research; advise best practices.
• Innovate and adapt best practices from competition, vendors, new product developments; recommend to Food Innovation & Product Development Manager and Food Team/Sales staff (10%).
• Stay aware of industry developments with focus on food science and sensory science R&D; attend courses, seminars, trade shows; utilize suppliers as resource; adopt new technology to lower cost of goods.

Inside the Company: Food Team, QA, Sales, Marketing, Operations.

Outside the Company: Suppliers, vendors, customers, government agencies.

Required

Education:

Bachelor of Food Science or directly related field.

Desired

Education:

Master of Food Science or directly related field.

Required Experience: 2+ years as a food scientist/technologist with food service experience developing food menu items or equivalent Quik Trip experience.

Desired

Experience:

5+ years as a food scientist/technologist with food service experience developing food menu items.

Required Skills: Moderate research and development skills; ability to collaborate; knowledge of food service and equipment or manufacturing equipment; basic food cost process knowledge.

Desired

Skills:

Familiarity with research and development skills; proven collaboration; excellent food service equipment or manufacturing equipment knowledge; understanding of food cost process knowledge.

$90,600 – $113,300.

Employee Benefits – Quik Trip.