Food Technologist, R&D

Hungry for a career that’s as rewarding as it is delicious?

At Aspire Bakeries, we don’t just bake breads, cookies, and cakes - we create foods that bring people together. From La Brea Bakery® artisan breads to Otis Spunkmeyer® cookies, our products are enjoyed by millions of people every day. And behind every bite are talented manufacturing and support teams who take pride in their work and our food.

We’re looking for hard-working people who will bring integrity, creativity, and a passion for excellence to everything they do - whether that’s on the bakery floor, in the office, or supporting customers. In return, we offer a workplace culture built on care, ownership, and growth - where your contributions matter and your career can rise as high as our bread loaves!

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. We support team members, empower growth, and encourage everyone to bring their authentic selves to work. 
• Health & Wellness – Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus company-paid life insurance and additional voluntary options to fit your needs, including disability coverage. 
• Work-Life Balance – Paid parental leave, generous paid time off, and holidays so you can recharge and spend time on what matters most. 
• 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 (What You’ll Be Doing)

• 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 (What You Bring To The Table)

• 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 (Extra Ingredients For Success)

• 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. The pay scale listed for this position is generally for candidates that meet the specified qualifications and requirements listed in this specific job description. Additional pay may be determined for those candidates that exceed these specified qualifications and requirements. We provide a competitive compensation package that recognizes your experience, credentials, and education alongside a robust benefits program to meet your needs. For union-represented postings, wage rates and ranges are governed by applicable collective bargaining agreements.

Aspire Bakeries is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic. We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to screen, assess, or select applicants.