R&D Support Specialist

About Us: Northgate Gonzalez Market has grown from one store in Anaheim in 1980 to over 40 locations across Southern California, and we’re looking for passionate, customer-focused team members to join our family. We offer flexible schedules, opportunities for growth, and an associate discount of up to 20% for you and your household—all in a positive and fun work environment where you’ll feel valued and appreciated. If you’re enthusiastic, team-oriented, and ready to build a career with us, we’d love to meet you. To learn more, please visitSUMMARY:The Recipe, Yield Specialist is responsible for building, validating, and ensuring the accuracy of recipes, yields, product specifications, and system data as required from our fresh item management systems. This role is responsible for supporting R&D in product cuttings and evaluations. This role actively puts recipes together, validates units of measurement and yields, conducts field tests and cut tests, and ensures accurate transfer of information into Logile. The position requires strong familiarity with Northgate products, departments, and production realities, serving as the bridge between Culinary, Operations, Category Management, Finance, and Supply Chain to ensure recipes are executable, accurate, and margin-aligned across Meat, Bakery, Tortillería, and Cocina. This role is critical to supporting freshness, cost control, food safety, and operational consistency across all production environments. Set a positive example of the company's values and excellent customer service. Exemplifies the desired culture, values, and philosophies of the NGM organization: Servant Leadership, Hard Work, Respect, Loyalty, Unity, Innovation, Communication, Openness, Objectivity, Education, Humility, Trust & Honesty. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:Validate and maintain standardized recipes, formulations, and batch instructions for all fresh and prepared food items, including commissary and store-level production. Ensure all recipes are complete, standardized, and version-controlled, including ingredients, weights, yields, batch sizes, procedures, and shelf-life parameters.Recipe Build, Validation & CommercializationAssemble and build recipes based on culinary input, existing Northgate standards, and operational requirements.Ensure recipes are complete, standardized, and production-ready, including:Ingredients and approved product specificationsBatch sizes, procedures, and scaling logicShelf life, dating, and handling instructionsValidate recipes through field testing and execution verification prior to system activation.Yield Validation & Cut TestingConduct yield validations and accurate cut tests across fresh departmentsMeat department items used in Prepared FoodsMeasure trim loss, cook loss, baking loss and finished yields and validate against system assumptions.Partner with Finance and Category Management to confirm yield-driven costing and margin accuracy.Costing, Yield & Margin IntegrityEnsure recipes accurately reflect true units of measure, yields, trim loss, cook loss, and finished weights.Monitor ingredient usage, yields, and costs; identify opportunities to reduce waste and improve efficiency.Support new product development, testing, and commercialization effortsConduct recipe audits and troubleshoot production or quality deviations.Support audits, data integrity reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.Works closely with the Category Buyers and Finance Department to provide accurate costing of new projects.Executes HACCP and GMP programs and follow all safety rules and regulations per Company standards.Performs other duties as directed.QUALIFICATIONS:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.5+ years of experience in recipe management, fresh departments or commissary environments.Strong understanding of fresh food production, batch cooking, and yield management.High attention to detail with the ability to manage complex data without losing culinary intent.Must have critical thinking with exceptional problem-solving skills and able to work independently or in a team environment.Must be able to lead, delegate, monitor, and follow up.Ability to work hands-on in a fast-paced production kitchen environment.Must have strong leadership skills.Must have good communication and mentoring skills.Must have a very strong Customer service commitment.Able to resolve operational problems related to projects and minimize delays or unexpected cost increases.Proactive, resourceful & highly motivated with good communication skills and ability to work in high output environment.Ability to develop creative solutions to problems and challenges as they are identified and resolve them in a timely manner.Able to demonstrate attention to detail and follow through in all areas of responsibility. Ability to develop & coordinate project plans/projects and communicate changes and progress effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the department associates and plant management. Must have solid knowledge on Microsoft Excel, Word, and OutlookMust be able to lift 25 Lbs. frequently and 40 Lbs. occasionally; stand, reach, climb, and lift frequently.Must be able to use calculator to perform general mathematical functions.Must be able to work with others and coordinate production with other associates.Must work with minimum or no supervision.Must have an excellent attendance record, reliable and flexible cooperated with busy season required occasionally. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:Menu Development & Management experience in multi-Unit Corporations preferredExperience in good manufacturing practices and food safety for a restaurant kitchen environment.LANUAGE SKILLS:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to read, write and speak English satisfactorily to perform the essential functions.Bi-lingual English - Spanish highly PUTER SKILLS:Strong excel, word and power point knowledge.PHYSICAL DEMANDS:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (Occasionally 1-33%; Frequently 34-66%; Continuously 67-100%)Must be able to lift to 10 Lbs. (Continuously)Must be able to lift to 30 Lbs. (Frequently) and exert force up to 40 Lbs. (Occasionally)Stand (Frequently)Walking (Frequently)Sitting (Frequently)Use hands to finger, handle or feel (Continuously)Reach with hands and arms (Continuously)Climb or balance (Occasionally)Stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl (Occasionally)Talk or hear (Continuously)Taste or smell (Continuously)WORK ENVIRONMENT:The kitchen environment may be subject to extreme temperatures with exposure to heath, water, noise, and some chemicals.Occasional Office Environment. (Occasionally 1-33%; Frequently 34-66%; Continuously 67-100)Work near moving mechanical parts (continuously)Vibration (Frequently)Moderate noise (Continuously)(The work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER NOTICEThe job duties, elements, responsibilities, skills, functions, experience, educational factors, and the requirements and conditions listed in this job description are representative only and not exhaustive of the tasks that an employee may be required to perform. The Employer reserves the right to revise this job description at any time and to require employees to perform other tasks as circumstances or conditions of its business or the work environment change.Northgate Markets is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Your Right to Work - In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Northgate Markets will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Ban the Box Law).Pay Range: $74,880.00 USD - $93,547.00 USD

Created: 2026-02-06