Manager, Food Science and Innovation
Company Description
McDonald’s is proud to be one of the most recognized brands in the world, with restaurants in over 100 countries and billions of customers served each year. As the global leader in the food service industry, we have a legacy of innovation and hard work that continues to drive us. Today, we are growing with velocity and are focused on modernizing our experiences, not to make a different McDonald’s, but to build a better McDonald’s.
We are moving fast and are adding to our best-in-class team. Joining McDonald's means thinking big every day and preparing for a career that can have impact around the world. We are customer obsessed, committed to being leaders, and believe we are better when we work together. Over the last couple years, we’ve launched home delivery, modernized our restaurant experience through digital enhancements and have so much more to come.
We are dedicated to using our scale for good: good for people, our industry and the planet. From ambitious recycling initiatives and balanced sourcing efforts to our partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities, we are constantly improving. We see every single day as a chance to have a genuine impact on our customers, our people and our partners.
Our new, state-of-the-art headquarters is located in the booming West Loop area in the heart of downtown Chicago. It's set up to be a global hub that cultivates innovation. Take a class at Hamburger University, sample future menu items in our Test Kitchen, and utilize the latest technology to communicate with your team around the globe! Our office helps us connect with each other like never before. Participate in monthly organized events, enjoy massive outdoor spaces, an 8000 square foot gym, and an onsite McDonald's serving international favorites. Needless to say, you’ll be lovin’ it here!
Job Description
Manager, Global Menu Food Technologist
Position Purpose
Provide functional leadership that examines and tests core menu improvements to formulations, nutritional optimization, operating platforms, and equipment. Use our suppliers and other AOW resources to recommend improvements to core menu items according to established product standards and characteristics. Key customers include senior leadership, other department Directors, and key AOW personnel.
Principal Accountabilities
People
- Provides ongoing mentoring, training and development of suppliers, direct and indirect AOW reports, and other AOW members in the food development and nutrition disciplines.
- Will help to supply and build an environment that supports an all-star team
Development
- Maintains knowledge of McDonald's operating systems and history, product standards, and suppliers/supplier processes.
- Investigates and proves out robust core menu improvements that are safe, consistent, feasible, fulfill product/brand requirements, and meet all critical taste standards.
- Design laboratory and confirmation (scale-up) experiments that examine the operational and formulation variables that impact key product attributes such as taste, appearance, texture, etc.
- Recommends options for core menu improvements.
- Identifies product specifications and key attribute ranges within process capability for core menu improvements.
- Coordinates with Global Supply Chain and Quality Systems with the commercialization (e.g., supplier approval, product integrity, increased capacity, legality of new ingredients) potential across system.
Innovation and Improvement
- Develops knowledge of industry trends and processes to identify options in multiple product categories such as baked goods, poultry, meats, dairy, produce, etc.
- Provides targeted products and options for strategic menu needs - acts as Global Sensory Team member and liaison.
- Assesses industry technologies and explores how to apply them to McDonald's menu needs.
- Identifies innovative options for core menu improvement.
- Collaborates with other groups (e.g., Supply Chain Management, Nutrition, Quality Systems, RSG, AOW Menu Leads) with those improvements.
- Challenges existing operational platforms as needed to improve processes and meet strategic menu needs.
Business Results
- Assists Senior Director with defining and fulfilling the Food Innovation and Development (FID) group vision.
- Serves as a global representative to suppliers, global marketing, AOW Menu Leads, Global Nutrition, and other departments to discuss McDonalds System plans and projects for core menu improvement.
- Ensures functional adherence to the function G&A and project budgets.
- Ensures that staff and suppliers understand the business case for core menu improvements.
- Facilitates staff and suppliers' understanding of the business case for new products/concepts.
- Participates with the Global Menu Strategy Leadership team to ensure priorities are aligned and resourced across appropriate functions.
Qualifications
Critical Skills
- Must have a degree in Food Science or related field, familiar with core gold standards and have experience working across multiple product categories (such as beef, poultry, coating systems, liquid products, dairy, etc).
- The ability to speak to different levels of technical knowledge and understanding is meaningful.
Additional Information
McDonald’s is committed to providing qualified individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of their jobs. Additionally, if you (or another applicant of whom you are aware) require assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise seek assistance in the application process, please contact [email protected]
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Nothing in this job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment.