Lead Innovation & Commercialization Chef

Killer Brownie is a premium brownie brand widely recognized for its indulgent, layered desserts that captivate both the eye and the palate. Originating in Dayton, Ohio, the company has earned a reputation for crafting multi-layered brownies that combine visual splendor with exceptional flavor. The brand's mission revolves around unleashing creativity and sparking delight with every killer bite, positioning itself as a beloved name among dessert enthusiasts. Rooted in a culture of fun and passion, Killer Brownie prides itself on being composed of loving, creative individuals dedicated to producing a product that truly brings joy to its customers. Embracing the "Live a Little" philosophy, Killer Brownie encourages its consumers to enjoy their treats without guilt or hesitation, making indulgence a delightful experience.

As part of the Irresistible Foods Group (IFG) family of brands, alongside notable names such as King’s Hawaiian and Grillo’s Pickles, Killer Brownie benefits from deep expertise in consumer packaged goods (CPG) and a strong centralized sales force. This partnership drives growth and innovation, allowing the brand to thrive in a competitive marketplace.

The opportunity at Killer Brownie is a specialized role for a Lead Innovation & Commercialization Chef, who serves as both a culinary and technical leader. This key position focuses on developing baked goods at a commercial scale, blending hands-on bakery expertise with advanced food science applications and manufacturing knowledge. The goal is to shepherd innovative products from initial concept through to full-scale production, ensuring that every creation meets stringent quality and brand standards without compromising taste or texture.

The role requires close collaboration with Production, Quality, and Operations teams, as well as external partners, to guarantee that products are scalable, repeatable, food safe, and commercially viable. Though this position does not oversee daily production lines, it functions as the technical authority during product development, scale-up, and commercialization phases. The role is based on-site in Miamisburg, Ohio, offering an exciting environment to engage in innovative project leadership within a dynamic commercial bakery setting.

This position supports the company's commitment to innovation by leading hands-on development of a range of bakery products including brownies, bars, cookies, fillings, and icings. Responsibilities cover formulation refinement to balance sensory qualities like taste and texture with manufacturability and cost-effectiveness. The role also involves rapid prototype development for internal and external stakeholders, working alongside cross-functional teams and external vendors to align with brand strategies.

Moreover, the Lead Innovation & Commercialization Chef steers the technical execution of scaling products from benchtop and rack test batches to full commercial production. This responsibility includes validating equipment capabilities, batch sizing, baking profiles, quality attributes, and process controls in partnership with production and food safety teams. The role leads and supports plant trials and first productions and identifies and mitigates risks during commercialization.

Ensuring compliance with quality, food safety, shelf life, and regulatory standards is paramount, with duties including specification development for raw materials and finished goods, third-party lab testing coordination, and ensuring proper labeling and documentation. The role also entails thorough documentation of formulas and processes, transferring knowledge to production teams, and providing training to guarantee consistent product execution.

Project management is a critical component, requiring the ability to manage multiple innovation and commercialization projects simultaneously while contributing technical insight to innovation pipeline planning. Clear communication of progress, risks, and outcomes to stakeholders is essential to the role’s success. Overall, this position offers a unique blend of culinary creativity, scientific rigor, and leadership within a company dedicated to making exceptional bakery products that delight customers worldwide.