Culinary Research Scientist

$62,400 - $83,200/Yr

Hestan Culinary - Vallejo, CA

Full-time - Entry Level

Hybrid - Vallejo, CA

About the position

The Culinary Research Scientist role is a unique position that combines culinary arts with scientific research to develop and validate automated cooking systems. The successful candidate will conduct innovative experiments, analyze data, and contribute to the advancement of smart kitchen technology, ensuring high-quality cooking results. This position is ideal for someone passionate about food and technology, ready to explore the intersection of these fields.

Responsibilities

• Design, conduct, and analyze experiments to refine cooking solutions, focusing on heat transfer, ingredient behavior, and automated processes.
• Test and validate models and hypotheses, emphasizing culinary quality, consistency, and system efficiency.
• Collect, interpret, and analyze experimental data using tools like spreadsheets, pivot tables, and scripts.
• Develop visualizations and statistical models to illustrate key insights from experiments and guide product development.
• Document recipes, techniques, procedures, and findings meticulously for future reference and replication.
• Work closely with team members to translate data insights into practical culinary applications.
• Organize and prepare materials, ingredients, and equipment needed for experiments.
• Utilize sensors and related software for real-time data collection, optimizing cooking parameters.
• Tackle culinary challenges using principles of thermodynamics, food chemistry, and materials science.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe lab and kitchen environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in physical science, engineering, or a related field such as physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, materials science, or food technology.
• Proficiency with data analysis tools, including spreadsheets, formulas, pivot tables, and scripting languages (Python, R, JavaScript).
• Strong understanding of culinary techniques, flavor profiling, and sensory evaluation.
• Familiarity with experimental design and scientific research principles.
• Highly organized with strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks efficiently.
• Excellent communication skills for documenting and presenting findings.

Nice-to-haves

• Background or coursework in statistics, computer science, or culinary arts.

Benefits

• Flexible schedule
• Paid training