1

Culinary Scientist Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

Senior Food Scientist

Aurora, CO · On-site

$100K - $110K/yr

We craft artisanal, scratch-made desserts at scale, combining culinary innovation with the finest ... The Food Scientist position will work directly with the culinary team in making robust formulas ...

Senior Food Scientist

Aurora, CO · On-site

$100 - $110/hr

We craft artisanal, scratch-made desserts at scale, combining culinary innovation with the finest ... The Food Scientist position will work directly with the culinary team in making robust formulas ...

Senior Food Scientist

Aurora, CO · On-site

$100 - $110/hr

We craft artisanal, scratch-made desserts at scale, combining culinary innovation with the finest ... The Food Scientist position will work directly with the culinary team in making robust formulas ...

Senior Food Scientist

Aurora, CO · On-site

$100 - $110/hr

We craft artisanal, scratch-made desserts at scale, combining culinary innovation with the finest ... The Food Scientist position will work directly with the culinary team in making robust formulas ...

Senior Food Scientist

Aurora, CO · On-site

$100 - $110/hr

We craft artisanal, scratch-made desserts at scale, combining culinary innovation with the finest ... The Food Scientist position will work directly with the culinary team in making robust formulas ...

New

Senior Food Scientist

Aurora, CO · On-site

$100K - $110K/yr

We craft artisanal, scratch-made desserts at scale, combining culinary innovation with the finest ... The Food Scientist position will work directly with the culinary team in making robust formulas ...

... Science, Technology, Environment, Agriculture, and Design. The Opportunity As a Culinary Guide ... you'll engage students through hands-on culinary learning while connecting food, agriculture ...

R&D Food Scientist

Aurora, CO · On-site

$70K - $90K/yr

R&D Food Scientist Are you ready to elevate your career in manufacturing operations and be a part ... Provide project leadership in the development in conjunction with the Culinary team and ...

R&D Food Scientist

Aurora, CO · On-site

$70K - $90K/yr

R&D Food Scientist Are you ready to elevate your career in manufacturing operations and be a part ... Provide project leadership in the development in conjunction with the Culinary team and ...

... between Science, Technology, Environment, Agriculture, and Design.The OpportunityAs a Culinary ... Guide, you'll engage students through hands-on culinary learning while connecting food, agriculture ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Culinary Scientist information

See Colorado salary details

$38.9K

$95.6K

$168.2K

How much do culinary scientist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for culinary scientist in Colorado is $95,647.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $71,500.00 and $105,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a culinary scientist?

A Culinary Scientist blends food science and culinary arts to develop new food products, improve recipes, and enhance food safety and quality. They work in research labs, test kitchens, or food manufacturing companies to apply scientific principles to cooking and food production. Their work involves experimenting with ingredients, textures, and flavors to optimize food products for consumers. Culinary Scientists may collaborate with chefs, nutritionists, and food engineers to innovate and solve industry challenges.

What are some common challenges faced by culinary scientists in product development?

Culinary Scientists often face the challenge of balancing taste, texture, and appearance with nutritional and regulatory requirements when developing new food products. They must frequently troubleshoot ingredient interactions, shelf-life stability, and scalability from kitchen prototypes to mass production. The role regularly requires cross-department collaboration with marketing, quality assurance, and manufacturing teams to ensure product feasibility and consistency. Overcoming these challenges not only requires scientific expertise, but also adaptability and strong problem-solving skills, making the work both demanding and highly rewarding.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a culinary scientist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Culinary Scientist, you need a solid background in food science, culinary arts, and chemistry, often supported by a relevant degree such as food science or culinary technology. Familiarity with laboratory equipment, food safety certifications (like HACCP), and analytical software is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong communication skills help Culinary Scientists excel, especially when collaborating on cross-functional teams. These abilities are crucial for successfully developing innovative food products that meet both quality standards and consumer preferences.

Do food scientists make a lot of money?

Food scientists, including culinary scientists, typically earn a median annual salary around $70,000, with salaries varying based on experience, education, and location. Advanced roles or those in research and development may offer higher compensation, and certifications or specialized skills can also influence earning potential.

How do you become a culinary scientist?

To become a culinary scientist, typically a bachelor's degree in food science, chemistry, or a related field is required, along with experience in food development or research. Skills in food safety, laboratory techniques, and sensory evaluation are important, and advanced roles may require a master's or doctorate degree.

What does a culinary scientist do?

A culinary scientist researches and develops new food products, flavors, and cooking techniques by applying scientific principles to improve taste, texture, and safety. They often work in food laboratories, using tools like sensory analysis and food chemistry to innovate and ensure product quality.

What jobs can you get with a culinary scientist degree?

A culinary scientist can work in roles such as food product developer, research chef, sensory scientist, or food technologist. These positions involve developing new food products, improving existing recipes, and applying scientific principles to food safety and quality, often requiring knowledge of food chemistry, microbiology, and laboratory techniques.

What cities in Colorado are hiring for Culinary Scientist jobs?

Cities in Colorado with the most Culinary Scientist job openings:

Infographic showing various Culinary Scientist job openings in Colorado as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, and 8% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $95,647 per year, or $46 per hour.

Senior Food Scientist

Dessert Holdings Inc.

Aurora, CO • On-site

$100K - $110K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 6 days ago


Dessert Holdings rating

7.1

Company rating: 7.1 out of 10

Based on 7 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

214th of 443 rated food and drinks producers


Job description

Senior Food Scientist


Dessert Holdings is the leading premium dessert company in the world. We craft artisanal, scratch-made desserts at scale, combining culinary innovation with the finest real ingredients. With a rich heritage spanning seven distinctive brands, we bring unmatched expertise and tailored solutions to our Retail and Foodservice partners.
Dessert Holdings is looking for a Senior Food Scientist to be based in our Aurora, CO location. The Food Scientist position will work directly with the culinary team in making robust formulas that can be scaled up for the Commercialization team. This Food Scientist position will ensure new items are built and launched successfully, existing items are documented accurately and act as a liaison between Culinary Team, Production, Sales, Finance, Quality Assurance, and Supply Chain. Will drive technical projects to meet business initiatives focusing on new product development, quality improvement and cost improvement.  
The typical hiring range for this role is $100,000 to $110,000 annually and is based on several factors such as education, work experience, skills, certifications, location, etc. In addition to pay, Dessert Holdings offers benefits such as a choice of comprehensive medical plans, dental and vision insurance, paid vacation and holidays, and retirement contribution to all eligible employees.
 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Provide project leadership in the development of new formulations, on proper use of functional ingredients and creation of robust formulations on the bench. 
  • Work on multiple interdisciplinary projects, developing and implementing plans, and coordinating resources to achieve goals. 
  • Design and execute experiments, analyze, and interpret data to make sound technical recommendations for specific projects. 
  • Develop product and process specifications, ensuring training and transfer of specific knowledge to QA and Operations.  
  • Support Commercialization, Operations and QA to resolve ingredient, formula and process issues and manage product/process changes.  
  • Provide technical support to Culinary team on product information and process capability. 
  • Collaboration with cross-functional teams on implementing new products, new equipment or new processes. 
  • Provide formula and process specifications with Culinary team and translating that to on floor processes and support to ensure smooth rollouts of new products, equipment and/or processes. 
  • Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance the new product development process by; actively participating in and encouraging continuous improvement to enhance our win rate, reduce our costs, improve our new product scale up and expedite our speed to market. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Degree in Food Science / Food Engineering with a strong functional Baking Science background.  5 – 8 years' experience in manufacturing required.  
  • Experience with designing and working on new products through concept, prototyping and commercialization within a manufacturing environment. 
  • Strong re-engineering knowledge / experience 
  • Recipe / Formulation and raw material knowledge / experience. 
  • Strong Bench skills when comes to recipe testing and development 
  • Team oriented when large sample requests come in 
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills 
  • Working knowledge of MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel), SharePoint, D365 systems 
  • Self-directed with initiative; responsible for managing own projects and ensuring all timelines are met or exceeded  
  • Ability/willingness to work off hours or extended amounts of time during product scale ups. 
  • Ability/willingness to travel up to 40% of the time. 
     

About Dessert Holdings
Dessert Holdings is a collection of premium dessert companies and brands: The Original Cakerie, Lawler's Desserts, Atlanta Cheesecake Company, Steven Charles, Dianne's Fine Desserts, Kenny's Great Pies, and Willamette Valley Pie Company. Dessert Holdings is owned by Bain Capital, is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, employs more than 3,500 people across ten manufacturing facilities, and is continuing its journey of rapid growth.


EEO Statement
Dessert Holdings and its related entities provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or any other characteristics protected by law.


What Dessert Holdings employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom