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How much do innovation associate jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 10, 2026, the average hourly pay for innovation associate in the United States is $19.01, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.14 and $20.19 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an innovation associate?

Innovation Associates are professionals who support organizations in developing and implementing new ideas, products, or processes. They typically work as part of innovation teams, assisting with research, brainstorming, project management, and the evaluation of emerging trends or technologies. Their role often includes gathering data, facilitating collaboration between departments, and helping to turn creative concepts into actionable business solutions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an innovation associate, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Innovation Associate, you need strong analytical thinking, creative problem-solving abilities, and a background in business, engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with innovation management tools, project management software, and frameworks such as Design Thinking or Lean Startup is often beneficial. Excellent communication, collaboration, and adaptability are crucial soft skills for facilitating idea generation and cross-functional teamwork. These competencies enable Innovation Associates to drive meaningful change by identifying opportunities, developing new solutions, and ensuring they align with organizational goals.

What is the difference between Innovation Associate vs Business Analyst?

AspectInnovation AssociateBusiness Analyst
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in business, marketing, or related field; often some experience in innovation or project managementBachelor's degree in business, finance, or related field; often some experience in data analysis or process improvement
Work EnvironmentCollaborative, creative teams focused on developing new ideas and solutionsAnalytical, process-oriented teams focused on improving business operations
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in tech, consulting, and corporate innovation departmentsCommon across finance, healthcare, and corporate sectors

While both roles involve analyzing business processes, Innovation Associates focus on developing new ideas and innovative solutions, often in creative environments. Business Analysts primarily analyze data and processes to improve efficiency. The roles overlap in skills like problem-solving and communication but differ in their core focus and daily tasks.

What cities are hiring for Innovation Associate jobs?

Cities with the most Innovation Associate job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Innovation jobs?

The most popular types of Innovation jobs are:

What states have the most Innovation Associate jobs?

States with the most job openings for Innovation Associate jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Innovation Associate jobs?

For Innovation Associate jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Innovation Associate jobs near you
Infographic showing various Innovation Associate job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 68% Full Time, 28% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $39,549 per year, or $19 per hour.

Associate Operations Manager, Kitchen Innovation

Irvine, CA • On-site

Yum
Traveler Accommodation • 10K+ employees
Learn more about Yumexternal

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 14 days ago

Yum! Brands rating

5.4

Company rating: 5.4 out of 10

Based on 13 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description


Who is Taco Bell?
Taco Bell was born and raised in California and has been around since 1962. We went from selling everyone's favorite Crunchy Tacos on the West Coast to a global brand with 8,500+ restaurants, 350 franchise organizations, that serve 42+ million fans each week around the globe. We're not only the largest Mexican-inspired quick service brand (QSR) in the world, we're also part of the biggest restaurant group in the world: Yum! Brands.
Much of our fan love and authentic connection with our communities are rooted in being rebels with a cause. From ensuring we use high quality, sustainable ingredients to elevating restaurant technology in ways that hasn't been done before... we will continue to be inclusive, bold, challenge the status quo and push industry boundaries.
We're a company that celebrates and advocates for different, has bold self-expression, strives for a better future, and brings the fun while we're at it. We fuel our culture with real people who bring unique experiences. We inspire and enable our teams and the world to Live Más.
At Taco Bell, we're Cultural Rebels. Want to join in on the passion-fueled fun? Learn more about the career below.
About the Job
The Kitchen Innovation Associate Manager supports the development, testing, and operational validation of next-generation kitchen solutions for Taco Bell. This role partners closely with Architecture & Design, Engineering, Food Product Development, and Yum! Red Labs to help evaluate kitchen systems that reduce team member workload, expand capacity, improve throughput, protect margins, and work effectively in restaurants. Reporting to the Director of Drive-Thru and Kitchen Innovation, this role helps translate the Kitchen 2030 vision into practical, field-ready solutions by supporting pilots, analyzing results, building business cases, and helping move proven concepts toward scale.
The Day-to-Day:
  • Supports the development of the business, operational, and economic case for next-generation kitchen solutions, partnering with cross-functional teams (A&D, Engineering, FIT, Food Ops, Red Labs, Field Leaders & Finance) to bring concepts from pilot to scale.
  • Help translate Kitchen 2030 strategy into clear problem statements, success metrics, and test plans, protecting accuracy, speed, quality, and consistency.
  • Coordinate real-world testing and validation of kitchen equipment, technologies, layouts, and processes.
  • Analyze pilot results and quantify impact across labor, throughput, order accuracy, and unit economics, ensuring scalability across 7,500+ restaurants.
  • Partner with leaders to support pilot-to-scale execution by translating test results into deployment decisions, defining rollout criteria, and building clear business cases and roadmaps for leaders and franchisees.

Is this you?
  • Minimum of 6 years of experience in QSR, multi-unit restaurant operations, restaurant innovation, or adjacent foodservice environments, with direct exposure to kitchen operations at scale
  • Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred or equivalent practical experience
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and communicate compelling business cases that connect operational solutions to P&L impact, including labor, throughput, capex, margin, and scalability considerations
  • Exercise strong judgment operating in tradeoff-heavy environments, balancing speed, quality, consistency, complexity, and cost to deliver solutions that work in restaurants
  • Proven track record of leading pilots and tests in real restaurant environments, with a clear understanding of the gap between lab concepts and field-ready, operationally viable solutions
  • Practical, operator-minded approach to innovation, with an ability to identify when ideas that look strong on paper do not scale operationally or economically and adjust course accordingly
  • Excellent communication, organizational, and influence skills, including translating complex ideas into clear, executive-ready narratives and driving alignment across cross-functional leaders and franchisee stakeholders without direct authority in a fast-paced, matrixed organization
  • Strong project and program management capability, partnering effectively with Engineering, Product Development, and Operations with clarity on shared ownership, handoffs, decision rights, prioritization, and risk management.

Work-Hard, Play-Hard:
  • Hybrid work schedule (onsite expectation Tues, Wed, Thurs) and year-round flex day Friday
  • Onsite childcare through Bright Horizons
  • Onsite dining center and game room (yes, there is a Taco Bell inside the building)
  • Onsite dry cleaning, laundry services, and carwash
  • Onsite gym with fitness classes and personal trainer sessions
  • Up to 4 weeks of vacation per year plus holidays and time off for volunteering
  • Generous parental leave for all new parents and adoption assistance program
  • 401(k) with a 6% matching contribution from Yum! Brands with immediate vesting
  • Comprehensive medical & dental including prescription drug benefits and 100% preventive care
  • Discounts, free food, swag and... honestly, too many good benefits to name

Salary Range: $109,400 to $125,000 annually + bonus eligibility + benefits
The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we'll consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.
Work Authorization Notice: Please note that we do not provide visa sponsorship or immigration support for this position. Applicants must already be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time, permanent basis without the need for current or future sponsorship.
At Taco Bell, we Live Más and invite you to do the same. Take a seat at our table. Bring your voice. Bring you, just as you are, a Cultural Rebel. We want you to be your best self!
Taco Bell is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging for all dimensions of diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other protected characteristic.
Taco Bell is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities or special needs.
US Job Seekers/Employees - To view the "Know Your Rights" poster, click here. You may also access Taco Bell's Pay Transparency Policy Statement.
Employment eligibility to work with Taco Bell in the U.S. is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for this position.
California Residents: For more information about the categories of personal information we collect from you and how we use, sell, and share that information, please see our Privacy Notice for California Employees here.

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