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Food Ingredients Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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Food Ingredients information

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How much do food ingredients jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 23, 2026, the average hourly pay for food ingredients in the United States is $15.94, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.42 and $17.07 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Food Ingredients Specialist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Food Ingredients Specialist, you need a solid background in food science, chemistry, or nutrition, often supported by a relevant degree and industry experience. Familiarity with analytical laboratory equipment, food safety regulations, and formulation software is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help you collaborate with cross-functional teams and innovate new products. These competencies ensure the development of safe, high-quality, and market-relevant food products that meet regulatory and consumer demands.

What are food ingredients?

Food ingredients are individual components or substances that are combined to create a finished food product. These can include natural items like fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats, as well as additives such as preservatives, colorings, and flavorings. Understanding food ingredients is important for nutrition, food safety, and catering to dietary restrictions. Ingredient lists on packaging help consumers know exactly what is in their food. Regulations often require food manufacturers to disclose all ingredients to ensure transparency and consumer safety.

What is the difference between Food Ingredients vs Food Technologist?

AspectFood IngredientsFood Technologist
Required CredentialsNone specific, often basic food safety knowledgeDegree in Food Science or related field, certifications may be preferred
Work EnvironmentManufacturing, quality control, procurementResearch & development, product formulation, quality assurance
Industry UsageSuppliers, manufacturers, distributors of raw ingredientsFood companies, R&D labs, quality departments

Food Ingredients typically refers to raw materials used in food production, while a Food Technologist is a professional involved in developing, testing, and improving food products. Both roles are integral to the food industry but focus on different aspects of the food production process.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in food ingredients roles, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in food ingredients roles often encounter challenges such as staying current with rapidly evolving food regulations, sourcing high-quality raw materials, and balancing innovation with cost-effectiveness. Navigating supply chain disruptions and meeting consumer demands for clean-label or allergen-free products are also common hurdles. These challenges can be addressed through continuous education on regulatory updates, building strong supplier relationships, collaborating closely with R&D and quality teams, and attending industry conferences to stay informed about trends and best practices.
More about Food Ingredients jobs
What states have the most Food Ingredients jobs? States with the most job openings for Food Ingredients jobs include:
Infographic showing various Food Ingredients job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 69% Full Time, and 31% Part Time. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution, with an average salary of $33,159 per year, or $15.9 per hour.
Sales Account Manager - Food Ingredients

Sales Account Manager - Food Ingredients

Univar Solutions

San Jose, CA

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 27 days ago


Univar Solutions rating

7.4

Company rating: 7.4 out of 10

Based on 36 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

148th of 344 rated logistics


Job description

A Place Where People Matter. 

Start your career journey with Univar Solutions!  Here you can make an impact on the world around you and accelerate your career in areas that energize and excite you. 

We are looking for a motivated and experienced Sales Account Manager to join our Food team!
You will be responsible for building a long-term, value-based relationship with accounts; expanding them for further business and improving the margin they create while reducing the time and costs of managing them.

What You'll Do:

  • Improve Univar's position within each account using consultative and in-depth selling at all levels within the account.
  • Prospect for new business by conducting sales calls to actively grow the size of the territory.
  • Focus on customer retention and overall customer satisfaction.
  • Provide customer technical support and consultant services to increase our overall value to the customer.
  • Maintain a clear updated view of your sales pipeline.
  • Set pricing and service levels, as well as maintain and coordinate customer quotations or provide necessary information to allow local branches to do so.
  • Coordinate with Local Sales, Purchasing, and Operations to ensure proper inventory levels.
  • Demonstrate commitment to safety, both personal and of your colleagues.

What You'll Need:

  • 5+ years of outside sales experience in B2B environments
  • Experience in manufacturing or chemical distribution is required
  • Food, Pharma or Personal Care chemical sales experience is mandatory
  • Bachelors degree
  • Ability to nurture an extensive network of contacts.
  • Demonstrated competitive drive.
  • Strong business savvy, including an understanding of the business relationship between manufacturers, distributors, and end-users of chemical products and services.
  • Well-honed listening skills and a problem-solving mindset to uncover needs and motivations to overcome objections to closing a sale.
  • Effective negotiation skills that allow Univar to realize appropriate value for products and services
  • Ability to travel within the assigned territory, 3 days on the road.

Where you'll work:
This is a home-based opportunity for candidates based in Northern California. 

Pay & Benefits:

The salary range for this role is USD 98,480 - 123,090. The specific salary offered to a candidate may be motivated by a variety of factors including the candidate's proven experience, education, training, certifications, qualifications, and work location. In addition, this position is eligible for incentive pay.  Available employee benefits include health, vision, and dental.  We also provide 401k matching for retirement and paid time off.

Univar Solutions is a leading, global distributor of chemicals and ingredients essential to the safety, health, and wellbeing of our daily lives from life-saving medicines and vitamins to hand sanitizers and industrial materials used for cleaning, construction, and more.  Our global team of more than 9,500 employees support our vision to redefine distribution and be the most valued chemical and ingredient distributor on the planet!

We offer a Total Rewards package that includes market aligned pay and incentives as well as a diverse benefits offering to support our employees' physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing.

Univar Solutions supports sustainable solutions for the world around us so that we can do our part to help keep our communities healthy, fed, clean, and safe! 

We are committed to a diverse workforce and a culture of inclusion.  Together, we are building a culture that acknowledges the unique experiences, perspectives and expertise of individuals and provides the development and growth opportunities to empower us to redefine our industry. 

Univar Solutions is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected classification. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the hiring process, please contact us at careers@univarsolutions.com.  

Univar Solutions does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms (collectively Recruiting Firms). Recruiting Firms must enter into a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with Univar Solutions prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. All searches must be initiated by Univar Solutions' Talent Acquisition team and candidates must be submitted via Applicant Tracking System (ATS) by approved vendors who have been expressly requested to make a submission for a specific job opening. No placement fees will be paid to any firm unless the aforementioned conditions have been met. Contacting our hiring managers directly is prohibited.


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