R&D Manager (Food Industry/Baking)

Kennesaw, Georgia
Research and Development
09/13/2023
Kennesaw, GA
Depends on Experience 

Research and Development Manager

 

Opportunity Overview


Are you ready to elevate your career and be a part of creating the world's best desserts? Dessert Holdings partners with some of North America’s most iconic chains to bring people together to celebrate life’s sweetest moments!

Dessert Holdings is looking for a Research & Development Manager in Kennesaw, GA.  This individual will ensure new items are built and launched successfully, existing items are documented accurately and act as a liaison between Production, Sales, Finance, Quality Assurance, and Supply Chain. The R&D Manager needs to understand the business needs, design, and execute tests, analyze data, draw conclusions, communicate results and commercialize products. You will drive technical projects to meet business initiatives focusing on new product development, quality improvement and cost improvement.  


Key Responsibilities

  • Identify and implement innovative, practical application and modification of ingredients, formulations, and process.
  • Provide project leadership in the development and commercialization of new products, product improvement, and cost savings.
  • Work on multiple interdisciplinary projects, setting direction, developing and implementing plans, identify and organize project team, coordinate resources to achieve goals, and lead all communication within and outside of organization.
  • Design and execute experiments, analyze, and interpret data to make sound technical recommendations for specific projects.
  • Provide and communicate technical and business risk assessment and perspective.
  • Develop process specifications, ensuring training and transfer of specification knowledge to QA and Operations.
  • Research and gain thorough understanding and knowledge of emerging technologies in product and ingredient technologies.
  • Support Operations and QA to resolve ingredient, formula, process issues and manage product/process changes.
  • Provide technical support with customer on product information and process capability.
  • Collaboration with cross-functional teams on implementing new products, new equipment or new processes.
  • Provide formula and process specifications and on floor support to assure smooth rollouts of new products, equipment and/or processes.
  • Support the process design and review on new capability expansion, cost enhancement, and/or process improvement opportunities.

 

Qualifications:

  • Degree in Food Science / Food Engineering with a strong functional Baking Science background (minimum 6 years bakery/food development / manufacturing experience)
  • Culinary Degree or equal work experience a plus
  • Experience with leading new products through concept, prototyping and commercialization within a manufacturing environment.
  • Recipe / Formulation and raw material knowledge / experience.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Working knowledge of MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel), SharePoint, ERP systems
  • Working knowledge of Canadian and US food standards and regulations.
  • Strong bench work skills with the ability to execute solutions rapidly (DOE).
  • Experience in baking, pastry arts, R+D and Food / Baking Science
  • Ability/willingness to work off hours or extended amounts of time during product scale ups.
  • Ability/willingness to travel up to 25% of the time.

 

About Dessert Holdings

Dessert Holdings is North America’s fastest-growing premium dessert company, recognized for provide retail and foodservice customers with chef-inspired, innovative desserts made with real ingredients, a flexible and low-cost supply chain, and best-in-class service. The company is a collection of premium dessert companies and brands:  Steven Charles, The Original Cakerie, Lawler’s Desserts, Atlanta Cheesecake Company, and Dianne’s Fine Desserts.  Dessert Holdings is owned by Bain Capital, employing more than 3,200 people across eight manufacturing facilities, and is continuing its journey of rapid growth.

 

EEO Statement

Dessert Holdings and its related entities provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by law.  Dessert Holdings complies with the laws and regulations outlined in the Know Your Rights poster.

Dessert Holdings company (Lawler's Desserts, Atlanta Cheesecake Company or The Original Cakerie) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to abide by all federal and state laws prohibiting employment discrimination; therefore, Dessert Holdings company (Lawler's Desserts, Atlanta Cheesecake Company or The Original Cakerie) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, military status, pregnancy, or disability or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state and local antidiscrimination laws.