Joy Baking Group · 20 hours ago
Research and Development Manager
US-PA-Hermitage
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
5+ years expJoy Baking Group is seeking a Research and Development Manager to lead the development and improvement of bakery products. This role involves managing cross-functional projects, ensuring product quality and compliance, and collaborating with teams to meet market needs.
Consumer Goods
Responsibilities
Develop new bakery products in line with company strategy, market trends, and customer preferences
Improve existing recipes to enhance taste, texture, shelf life, and nutritional value
Lead cross-functional product development projects from concept through commercialization, ensuring on-time and successful product launches
Conduct product trials, sensory evaluations, and benchmarking against competitors
Research new ingredients, raw materials, and baking technologies
Conduct laboratory and pilot-scale trials to validate formulations
Analyze test results and document findings clearly and accurately
Evaluate ingredient substitutions for cost reduction or supply continuity
Collaborate directly with customers and internal teams to gather requirements, provide technical support, and translate feedback into viable product solutions
Work closely with production teams to scale recipes from test kitchen to full production
Ensure all products meet food safety, regulations, and quality standards (HACCP, GMP, local food regulations)
Maintain accurate R&D documentation, recipes, and specifications
Support quality assurance during audits and product reviews
Coordinate with procurement on ingredient sourcing and supplier evaluation
Support operations with technical guidance and training
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in food science, Food Technology, Baking Science, or a related field
Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in bakery research and development, food manufacturing, or product development
Proven experience working within large-scale or industrial baking operations
Strong technical expertise in baking ingredients, formulations, and production processes
Must be highly motivated, able to follow directions, and able to perform assigned work duties independently with minimal supervision
Communicate effectively and collaborate with internal departments and external stakeholders to coordinate activities, share information, and ensure alignment with organizational objectives
Able to manage multiple projects with timelines
Able to analyze and present complex information effectively
Able to problem solve and source solutions across multiple areas of work
Must have strong organizational skills and ability to analyze / interpret technical information, mathematical concepts, and form conclusions
Must have a good understanding of the food industry, market trends, and competitive landscape
Able to adapt to changing market conditions and business priorities
Must be able to travel to visit vendors
Preferred
Prior experience in cookie development and production is highly preferred
Company
Joy Baking Group
Albert George, a Lebanese immigrant, along with other family members, purchased second-hand cone-baking machines and started the George & Thomas Cone Company in 1918.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageCompany data provided by crunchbase