Food Technologist

Tulkoff Food Products is a dynamic and rapidly growing private equity-backed portfolio company within the food industry. We specialize in the manufacture and distribution of specialty sauces across North America, with a commitment to delivering high-quality products and innovative solutions to our customers. As we navigate a period of expansion and strategic initiatives, we are seeking a seasoned Food Technologist to join our team and contribute to the company's success.

The Food Technologist will be responsible for innovating and developing new product concepts, prototypes, and processes in response to customer or internal objectives and focuses on the development of mayonnaise, sauces and condiments, as well as technical advice in developing other food products.

The Food Technologist is responsible for conceptual development, formulation, process, implementation, validation, continuous improvement, and delivering the required margin for customers and the business.

Starting Salary: $55,000.00 depending on experience

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• The Technologist will be responsible for innovating and developing new product concepts, prototypes, and processes in response to customer or internal briefs and manages focused development of new products to deliver the required margin for customers and the business.
• This position creates formulas/recipes for commercialization and costing; adapts formulas to production.
• Creates samples for external customers in a timely manner and will maintain concise documentation of formulas and work papers.
• Provides formulas and batching information for costing and material sourcing.
• The Technologist presents new product and process facts and ideas clearly, accurately, and persuasively to customers internally and externally and cross-functionally. Plans, organizes, and controls resources to deliver products and processes to an agreed quality and timescale.
• Tests products shelf life and sensory evaluation.
• Tests products and develop specific processing methods, leads product scale-up and start-ups as necessary.
• Works with operations on initial production runs and as needed to maintain product quality levels and conducts core ingredient research, development of new products, cost and quality improvements to current products, shelf-life improvement and new product research.
• Confers with vendors, process engineers, chefs, flavor experts, packaging, and marketing specialists to understand available technology and provide ideas, solutions, and alternatives to meet food safety, quality, costs, and customer requirements.
• Maintains an awareness of market food trends and comparative products from all major retailers/competitors and recommends product development ideas in line with those trends and coordinates interdepartmental activities; seeks mutual agreement on problems involving coordination.
• Provides technical support to all production plants and co-packers to achieve quality and productivity goal.
• Travels as needed to support company interests in processing facilities, customers, and tradeshows.
• Supports QA&QC groups.
• Works cross functionally with QC, marketing, sales, operations, maintenance, business development, ROSS system control, etc.

QUALIFICATIONS

• BS degree in food science, food technology or equivalent majors.
• Requires knowledge of food science and formulation as well as manufacturing process.
• 3 – 5 years’ experience in the food industry, specializing in condiments, sauces, or dressings.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Fluent in Microsoft Office and nutrition labeling software.
• FDA regulations, 21 CFR, food labeling, acidified food, and thermal processing
• Critical thinking and fast adaption skills
• Passion for food

Tulkoff offers a generous benefits package that includes 401(k) with an 8% employer match on contributions, great work/life balance, paid time off, employer-paid life insurance, monthly staff lunch, and other voluntary benefits. We also offer an air-conditioned production environment and very limited weekend work.