About us:

Headquartered in Vernon, CA we are a premium full spectrum manufacturer and distributor of fine food and beverage products. Family owned and operated since 1977 and operating two plants in southern California and one plant in Texas, We offer more than 4,000 products to a variety of customers in both the foodservice and retail channels. We are committed to providing the highest quality food products with an unrelenting commitment to fresh, nutritious ingredients and promotion of eco-friendly business practices.

This is a new role supporting a growing R&D and Commercialization team focused on supporting our raw protein business located in the Fort Worth metroplex. This associate will manage raw protein product development projects from concept to shelf including all technical aspects related to development, quality and shelf life, packaging, claims validation, production trials and launch support. Ideal candidate will have experience in raw proteins, including marinated meats, patties, sausages and other cut and pack raw proteins. This position functions within a fast-paced environment of creative energy, novel product designs and opportunities to continue professional growth and technical knowledge.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for leading raw protein product development and commercialization
• Develop concepts and prototypes for new products with the assistance of the Culinary team
• Use creative solutions to develop novel prototypes, keeping commercialization and process and packaging capabilities in mind
• Identify partners, equipment and processes that will successfully deliver commercialized versions of prototypes
• Lead plant trials, sensory testing, shelf life verification and claim validation for new product development and continuous improvement projects
• Lead meetings with cross functional teams, which may include program development, brainstorming sessions, timelines and project status updates (cross-functional teams include Culinary, Purchasing, Production/Operations, FSQA, Sales/Marketing, Finance, Regulatory)
• Lead preparation of comprehensive process documentation to enable smooth commercialization and training of plant personnel, and meet internal and external audit requirement including regulatory compliance, label reviews, BOM specification, raw ingredients specification, product specification, shelf life, etc.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university in meat science, food science, biology, chemistry, agricultural science, or a related life science field. Masters degree is a plus.
• Min 5 years experience in food product or process development, QA, or manufacturing, preferably in raw protein categories
• Strong computer skills are essential
• Knowledge of the Culinary Arts
• Technical excellence in a food science related field
• Demonstrate track-record of successful product design and launches, preferably in raw protein product categories
• Competent in leading benchtop development and manufacturing trials
• Excellent organizational skills and time management
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Loves food and working with a passionate team
• Ability to bring out the best in fellow team members and display leadership qualities
• Travel up to 20 – 40%
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Be able to read and comprehend instruments, equipment manuals.
• Regularly required to smell, taste, and consume all food types.
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move
• The individual will handle and is exposed to allergenic and sensitive materials, such as soy, wheat, gluten, dairies, seafood, nuts, sulfites, etc
• Ideal candidate must be able to read and comprehend written and verbal instructions. Draft memos and correspondence with ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization. Fluent in English and Spanish, preferred.

Benefits Overview:

• Holiday Pay
• Paid Time Off
• Health Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 401k

Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.