Associate Product Developer (Hybrid: Onsite and Remote)

US Foods Holding - Rosemont, IL

Full-time - Mid Level

Rosemont, IL

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

About the position

The Associate Product Developer at US Foods, Inc. is responsible for driving the profitable growth of US Foods Exclusive Brands through innovation and strategic alignment with the company's overall goals. This hybrid role combines onsite and remote work, focusing on product commercialization from ideation to launch while collaborating with various internal and external stakeholders. The position requires a strong foundation in culinary arts, project management, and product development within the food industry.

Responsibilities

• Drive US Foods Exclusive Brands profitable growth and overall success, focusing on new innovation aligned with US Foods' strategy.
• Use technical expertise and portfolio analysis to identify areas for innovation and improved profitability.
• Provide professional feedback regarding key sensory questions in food categories.
• Commercialize products from ideation to launch by collaborating with stakeholders.
• Contribute to continuous improvements of product development processes and represent the PD Team in cross-functional meetings.
• Define brand standards regarding ingredient, nutritional, and product attributes.
• Collaborate with various functions to drive project potential and assure aligned direction on priorities.
• Participate in building the Exclusive Brand category strategy with Category Managers.
• Direct concept development within agreed business and category strategies.
• Identify and evaluate key vendors in conjunction with product development and category teams.
• Develop vendor strategies based on analyzed strengths in processing and long-term development requirements.
• Maintain understanding of competitive set and emerging technology to identify opportunities for differentiation.
• Develop nutritional attributes, formulas, and product specifications that meet corporate and consumer needs.
• Drive for specification ownership and proprietary advantage to protect investments.
• Ensure projects are delivered with high quality on agreed timelines and within budget, communicating with senior leadership.
• Organize special projects and initiatives within the PD Team.
• Provide support to marketing events and promotions.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in food science, meat science, or animal science & agribusiness.
• 2 - 3 years' experience in product development of consumer-packaged goods, retail, or foodservice industry.
• Strong foundation in culinary arts and passion for food.
• Strong sensory evaluation and analysis skills.
• Excellent knowledge of HACCP and its application in the food industry.
• High collaboration and project management skills.
• Ability to influence and translate technical information to all levels in an organization.
• Strong judgment and decision-making skills.
• Highly organized with a focus on detail and accuracy.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive, and Outlook.

Nice-to-haves

• CCS (Certified Culinary Scientist by RCA) or other culinary experience/certification.
• Prior experience in facilitation of group training.