Product Development Manager - Baked Goods

Food Scientist - Frozen & Pre-Proofed Dough

(5-10 years experience required, strong package on offer inlcuding relocation assistance to facilitate move to the South-East based plant)

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Food Scientist to join a commercial bakery environment with a focus on the development and commercialization of frozen and pre-proofed dough products.

This is a highly hands-on role covering the full product development cycle - from initial formulation and laboratory trials through scale-up, plant trials, commercialization, and ongoing product optimization. The successful candidate will work across both straight-dough and laminated-dough applications , including croissants, Danish pastries, puff pastry, enriched and sweet dough systems.

The role will suit a technically strong bakery scientist who is comfortable moving between the laboratory and manufacturing floor and who understands how ingredient selection, processing conditions, freezing, storage, thawing, proofing and baking ultimately affect finished-product performance.

A significant component of the position will involve frozen shelf-life and product stability , including designing studies, monitoring performance through storage and distribution, interpreting results, and establishing practical product-performance and storage recommendations.

You will work closely with teams across Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering and Sales, as well as directly supporting customer requirements. The position requires strong technical documentation, data analysis and project-management skills, alongside a practical understanding of commercial bakery manufacturing.

All development and manufacturing activity must align with the site's nut-free manufacturing requirements and applicable allergen-control procedures .

Key Areas of Responsibility

Product Development & Formulation

• Take ownership of new frozen and pre-proofed dough development projects from initial concept through commercial launch.
• Develop and refine formulations across straight and laminated dough platforms, including croissants, Danish, puff pastry, enriched doughs, sweet doughs and related bakery products.
• Balance product requirements including flavor, texture, volume, layering, appearance, machinability, proof tolerance, finished weight, bake performance and shelf life.
• Investigate ingredient performance and optimize the use of flour, fats, butter and butter blends, shortenings, yeast, sweeteners, emulsifiers, enzymes, conditioners, flavors, inclusions, fillings and toppings.
• Conduct practical laboratory trials covering mixing, sheeting, lamination, dividing, shaping, proofing, freezing, thawing, baking and sensory assessment.
• Develop and maintain robust formulations and technical recommendations based on trial results and product requirements.

Frozen Stability & Shelf-Life

• Develop appropriate shelf-life protocols for individual products, taking into account their intended storage, distribution and end-use conditions.
• Establish testing schedules, storage environments, controls, sampling procedures and evaluation criteria.
• Assess the effects of frozen storage, freeze/thaw exposure, temperature variation, packaging and distribution on dough and finished-product performance.
• Analyze stability and shelf-life results and identify product limitations, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Work with Quality, Operations and customers to establish realistic product-performance expectations and support shelf-life validation.
• Use data and sensory observations to make clear technical recommendations around storage conditions and product longevity.

Scale-Up & Commercialization

• Own the technical handover of successful laboratory concepts into pilot and full-scale manufacturing.
• Organize and participate in plant trials, commercialization runs, start-ups and process-validation activities.
• Ensure laboratory processes can be translated into reliable production methods that work within the realities of plant equipment, line speeds, labor and capacity.
• Establish and validate key process and product parameters including dough temperature, piece weight, dimensions, mixing conditions, rest periods, lamination, proofing, freezing, thawing, baking and moisture/texture targets.
• Support equipment trials and evaluations involving mixers, sheeters, laminators, make-up systems, proofers, freezers, ovens and packaging equipment.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing and product-quality issues, including problems associated with mixing, gluten development, dough temperature, lamination, shrinkage, make-up, proofing, freezing, packaging, thawing and baking.

Customer & Cross-Functional Support

• Partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain and Sales to ensure new products are technically and commercially viable.
• Prepare and provide customer samples that accurately represent manufacturing capabilities and expected product quality.
• Respond to internal and external sample requirements within agreed timelines.
• Provide technical input during customer presentations, product reviews and development discussions.
• Translate customer specifications and performance requirements into practical formulations and manufacturing processes.
• Support resolution of technical issues and communicate development progress, trial findings and recommendations to relevant stakeholders.

Technical Documentation & Laboratory Management

• Maintain complete and accurate records covering formulations, trials, results, revisions, specifications and technical recommendations.
• Produce the technical documentation required to support commercialization, including formulas, process instructions, trial reports, product standards and shelf-life data.
• Assist with raw-material evaluations, supplier assessments and ingredient-functionality investigations.
• Support the Principal Food Scientist with laboratory priorities, development activities and project execution.
• Maintain an organized, safe and well-controlled laboratory environment, including ingredient inventory and appropriate handling procedures.
• Ensure all laboratory and development work follows relevant food-safety, quality and allergen-control requirements.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Bakery Science, Cereal Science or a related discipline is required; postgraduate qualifications are advantageous.
• Approximately 5-10 years of relevant commercial experience within frozen dough manufacturing, commercial bakery product development or a closely related technical environment.
• Demonstrated experience taking frozen or pre-proofed dough products from development through to commercial production.
• Strong practical formulation experience across both straight and laminated dough systems .
• Direct technical experience with products such as croissants, Danish, puff pastry, enriched doughs, sweet doughs and similar frozen bakery applications.
• Strong understanding of dough rheology, gluten development, yeast functionality, lamination, proofing, freezing, thawing, baking and frozen distribution.
• Experience developing and interpreting frozen shelf-life and stability studies .
• Previous involvement in laboratory development, pilot work, plant trials, scale-up, commercialization and production start-up.
• Solid knowledge of bakery raw materials and their functional contribution, including flour, fats, butter, yeast, sweeteners, emulsifiers, enzymes, dough conditioners, flavors, inclusions and fillings.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical capability, with the ability to use trial data and sensory observations to drive product and process improvements.
• Excellent documentation and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple development projects, trials and deadlines simultaneously.
• Confident communicator who can work effectively with technical, operational, commercial and customer-facing teams.
• Comfortable working hands-on in both laboratory and manufacturing environments.

Keywords: Baking, baked, bakery, bakeries, dough, doughs, pastry, pastries.