R&D Manager of Baked Goods Job – Phoenix, AZ

Why You'll Love This Job

Who is Cafe Bakery
Since 1987, the team at Cafe Valley has produced muffins, bundt cakes, ring cakes, turnovers, and croissants for our customers throughout the United States and across the world. Our products are made with high-quality ingredients and crafted with care. We strive to maintain a positive work environment and foster a culture of teamwork and innovation.

Who You Are
The R&D Manager of Baked Goods supports Café Valley by creating innovative products, enhancing existing ones, and refining the manufacturing processes to ensure we produce the very best. Expertise in bakery research and development will be your superpower, enabling you to swiftly drive projects from prototype to market-ready solutions. Heavy hands-on benchtop work as an individual contributor who is part of a collective team.

Location
This position works on-site 5 days a week at our Phoenix plant.

What You Will Get

Competitive salary
Paid time off
401(k) plan with generous match
Benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life, and other supplemental coverages

Responsibilities

What You Will Do

Own the development, formulation, and build of new bakery products, ensuring they meet company standards for quality, taste, and functionality
Plan, execute, and oversee plant trials (sample runs) to evaluate the viability and scalability of new products in the manufacturing environment
Collaborate with manufacturing teams to address and resolve any issues that arise during trial runs
Ensure successful transition from pilot scale to full-scale production
Prepare and maintain comprehensive product documentation, including vendor briefs, plant trial briefs, finished product specifications, ingredient lists, and Bills of Materials (BOMs)
Ensure all product documentation is accurate, up-to-date, and meets regulatory and quality standards
Research new product ingredients and suppliers to source high-quality materials
Conduct ingredient evaluations and quality assessments
Work closely with Marketing, Quality Assurance, Purchasing/Inventory, and other departments to ensure alignment and support for new product initiatives
Communicate effectively with stakeholders to provide updates on project status and resolve any issues that arise
Manage multiple product development projects simultaneously, ensuring timelines and milestones are met
Utilize project management tools and techniques to track progress and coordinate activities
Perform all related duties as required; related duties may not be specifically listed but are within the general occupational responsibility level typically associated with the employee’s classification of work

Skills & Qualifications

What You Need to Be Successful

Ability to work with or around bakery allergens of all types
At least 10 years of R&D experience in bakery manufacturing
Work experience as a professional pastry chef/baker in large-scale bakery manufacturing
Demonstrated technical achievement in the development of laminated dough (i.e., croissants) and batter-based products (i.e., muffins) for the bakery service and in-store bakery markets
AIB certification in baking
Strong understanding of bakery formulation, ingredient functionality, and bakery processing
Excellent project management skills with the ability to handle multiple projects and ability to meet deadlines
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a keen attention to detail
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and departments
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with product development software and tools

Cafe Valley is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to diversity in the workplace. We encourage applications from qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

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