Sr. Culinary Innovation Specialist

This exciting Contract to Hire position offers a unique opportunity for culinary professionals to join a dynamic and innovative company dedicated to driving food innovation. As an organization, they specialize in creating market-leading food concepts and products that appeal to a broad range of consumers. The company supports a hybrid work model allowing candidates to work remotely during the contract period, which is projected to last between 9 to 12 months. Once the candidate transitions to a permanent role, full relocation support to Knoxville, Tennessee, will be provided, fostering a long-term career path within the company. This role demands flexibility and readiness to travel frequently, particularly during the remote period, as professionals will be expected to visit Knoxville and co-manufacturing partners to ensure successful collaboration and project execution.

The Culinary Innovator position is a key function within the company’s product development and innovation team. This role is centered on creating new culinary concepts and products aligned with emerging market trends, consumer preferences, and overarching business goals. The ideal candidate will combine deep culinary expertise with strategic innovation skills to deliver scalable and commercially viable food solutions. This role collaborates closely with various cross-functional teams, including Innovation Leads, Operations, Supply Chain, and external partners, to shepherd ideas from initial concept through to commercialization. This end-to-end involvement ensures that new products not only delight consumers but also meet rigorous standards for quality, cost efficiency, and operational feasibility.

Core responsibilities include driving product development and culinary innovation, conducting market and trend analysis, leading taste testing and recipe refinement, and managing multiple development projects to successful completion. The Culinary Innovator will also create and maintain detailed technical documentation such as recipes, specifications, and cost analyses for large-scale production. Additionally, this role requires active participation in brand support through presentations to internal stakeholders and customers, as well as collaboration on marketing initiatives and promotional events to showcase new innovations.

With a salary range of $120,000 to $150,000 per year (prorated), this position offers a competitive compensation package that reflects the importance and impact of the role on the company's growth and product pipeline. Candidates with at least five years of culinary experience in foodservice or food manufacturing, especially those with backgrounds in multi-unit restaurants, quick-service restaurants, or food manufacturing environments, will find this position particularly rewarding. Technical proficiency in recipe development and food science, together with strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills, are essential for success. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate creativity, analytical thinking, excellent time management, and the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously while taking initiative. This is an outstanding opportunity for an innovative culinary professional seeking to leverage their expertise to influence the future of food, supported by a progressive company that values innovation and collaboration.