Fresh Food QA Technician

About the role

The Test Kitchen Specialist is responsible for managing ingredients, organizing materials, maintaining kitchen readiness, and supporting product development activities within the corporate test kitchen. This role ensures that all ingredients, equipment, and workspaces are prepared and available for product development trials, sensory evaluations, culinary demonstrations, and commercialization projects. The position plays a critical support role to Food Scientists, Product Developers, Culinary Specialists, and Test Kitchen Technicians by ensuring efficient and well-organized kitchen operations.

Responsibilities

• Ingredient & Sample Preparation
• Receive, inspect, label, and organize ingredients and product samples.
• Prepare ingredients according to project requirements, including weighing, measuring, portioning, washing, cutting, and staging.
• Assemble ingredients and materials for scheduled product development trials.
• Prepare samples for sensory panels, shelf-life evaluations, and internal meetings.
• Package, label, and store samples following established procedures
• Kitchen Organization & Readiness
• Maintain a clean, organized, and fully stocked test kitchen.
• Set up workstations and equipment prior to scheduled testing activities.
• Ensure ingredients, supplies, and tools are readily available for project teams.
• Monitor inventory levels and communicate replenishment needs.
• Organize storage areas, refrigerators, freezers, and dry storage locations.
• This includes deep cleaning of equipment, washing and organizing dishware, washing of clothware. Ensure kitchen GMPs are followed.
• Ordering of products/ingredients/consumables through McLane's, Sysco, LaBatt's, Amazon and/or the grocery store on a weekly basis. Sending invoices to accounting to be paid.
• Inventory & Receiving
• Receive and log deliveries, and verify ingredient and supply orders.
• Track inventory and rotate stock using FIFO practices.
• Maintain ingredient databases and inventory records.
• Assist with purchasing requests and vendor coordination as needed.
• Dispose of expired or non-compliant ingredients according to company procedures.
• Equipment Maintenance & Sanitation
• Clean and sanitize kitchen equipment, utensils, and work areas.
• Assist with routine equipment maintenance and calibration schedules.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety standards
• Maintain kitchen certifications and employee food handling certifications.
• Maintain dishwashing and sanitation processes.
• Preventive maintenance of equipment including daily temperature checks, periodic deep cleaning and service calls
• Project Support
• Support product development teams during kitchen trials and sample preparation.
• Assist with meeting setup, tasting sessions, and product evaluations.
• Prepare presentation materials and sample displays for stakeholders and customers.
• Perform other administrative and operational support tasks as assigned.
• Facilitate training of new team members on kitchen protocols, including GMP's and SOP's.

Requirements

• Education
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate degree, culinary training, or food science coursework preferred.
• 2-5 years of experience in food preparation, commercial kitchens, food manufacturing, catering, or test kitchen environments preferred.
• Experience handling food ingredients and kitchen equipment.
• Familiarity with inventory management and food safety practices.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to follow instructions and standardized procedures.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft applications (Outlook, Teams, Office)
• Ability to multitask and prioritize responsibilities.
• Effective communication and teamwork skills.
• Competencies
• Dependability and accountability
• Attention to detail
• Organization and planning
• Customer and service orientation
• Flexibility and adaptability, including ability to work outside of core work hours (including weekends) as business needs arise.
• Team collaboration
• Commitment to food safety and quality
• Physical Requirements
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, and lift throughout the workday.
• Ability to lift up to 20-50 pounds daily.
• Comfortable working in refrigerated, freezer, and kitchen environments.
• Ability to safely operate kitchen equipment and tools.
• Success Measures
• Kitchen readiness and organization
• Accuracy of ingredient preparation
• Inventory accuracy and availability
• Food safety and sanitation compliance
• Support of project timelines
• Stakeholder satisfaction wit

Benefits

Additional Information

7-Eleven is an iconic family of brands with over 86,000 locations, surpassing every retailer in the world. We revolutionize convenience, restaurants and fuel through cutting edge innovation - working hard to be the customer's first choice. 7-Eleven empowers our employees to "activate awesome" and make a meaningful impact in their stores and communities every day. If you're ready to grow, lead and make a difference, come join our team and help shape the future of convenience.

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