Sr Scientist – Innovation Chef

You will play a critical role in fueling KFC US’ pipeline of finger lickin’ good innovations by helping develop new menu items that deliver crave-worthy, guest-delighting experiences. Your mission is to support and lead portions of the innovation process—from early concept development to testing and validation—by contributing technical expertise, coordinating cross-functional input, and advancing new products toward commercialization. You will help ensure that every new menu item meets KFC’s high standards for taste, quality, operational ease, and brand relevance. Advance menu and ingredient innovation by leading hands-on product development, structured testing, data analysis, and sensory evaluation to ensure flavors perform from kitchen to restaurant. Enable strong supplier partnerships by gathering and translating technical inputs, validating compliance to specs, and coordinating ingredients to support scalable, craveable, commercially viable solutions. Evaluate consumer, operational, and cost data to identify opportunities that improve product quality, consistency, executional ease, and overall value. Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Ops, QA, Supply Chain, and Finance; synthesize findings into clear recommendations, trial readouts, and storytelling materials that support decision-making. Track culinary, menu, and ingredient trends —both within QSR and adjacent segments—to inform forward-looking menu evolution and ingredient strategy. Represent the FIT team as a culinary subject-matter expert in cross-functional forums by sharing progress, surfacing risks, resolving roadblocks, and guiding solutions. Drive transformative impact for KFC US by owning end-to-end innovation workstreams—from concept ideation through initial commercialization—ensuring ideas translate into real, executable menu wins. Education: You will be required to attend the Plano, TX office 3 days a week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited 4-year university, Culinary Degree or relevant work experience Experience: 5-7+ years of professional culinary experience. Experience in New Product Development/Food Innovation in the restaurant industry is required. QSR experience is preferred but not required Skills: Excellent oral and written communication skills to engage and align cross-functional stakeholders; ability to present effectively. Strong analytical skills to interpret data and form action-able recommendations. Proven project management capabilities, including driving great outcomes in a fast-paced environment. Mindset: Passion for creating craveable, high-quality food experiences. Curious, resourceful, and energized by innovation and experimentation. Comfortable navigating ambiguity and iterating quickly to move ideas forward. Collaborative team player who inspires others and contributes positively to team culture. Resilient and persistent in driving development work through technical and operational challenges. Salary Range: $99,200 to $105,030 annually + bonus eligibility. This is the expected salary range for this position. Ultimately, in determining pay, we'll consider the successful candidate’s location, experience, and other job-related factors.