Manager, Food Technology
Company Description
Job Description
Company Description:
McDonald’s is proud to be one of the most recognized brands in the world, with restaurants in over 100 countries that serve 70 million customers daily. As the global leader in the foodservice industry, our legacy of innovation and hard work continues to drive us.
From drive-thru updates to delivery to mobile order and pay, we are innovating quickly and growing. Joining McDonald's means thinking big and preparing for a career that can have influence around the world.
At McDonald’s, we see every day as a chance to create a positive impact. We lead through our values centered on inclusivity, service, integrity, community, and family. From the support of Ronald McDonald House Charities to our Youth Opportunity project and sustainability initiatives, our values keep us dedicated to using our scale for good: good for our customers, people, industry, and the planet. We also offer outstanding benefits including a sabbatical program, tuition assistance, and flexible work arrangements.
We are an equal opportunity employer committed to the diversity of our crew members, staff, operators, and suppliers. We promote an inclusive work environment that creates feel-good moments for everyone. We are interested in people who enhance our company culture: Does this role interest you? We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every single requirement!
Department Overview
Lead the development and innovation of future beef menu offerings by designing and implementing operationally focused menu platforms and products. Leverage global suppliers and resources to develop and commercialize beef-focused menu items that meet newly established product standards and consumer-driven attributes. Key stakeholders include senior leadership, department Directors, and other critical personnel.
Duties
- Maintain comprehensive knowledge of McDonald’s operating systems, product standards, and supplier processes.
- Investigate and validate robust beef menu items that are safe, consistent, feasible, and aligned with brand requirements and critical taste standards.
- Design laboratory and scale-up experiments to examine operational and formulation variables impacting key product attributes such as taste, appearance, and texture.
- Conduct research focused on food safety, shelf life, sensory technologies, yield improvement, and process optimization. Define product specifications and key attribute ranges within process capability.
- Coordinate with Global Supply Chain and Quality Systems to commercialize products, including supplier approval, target identification, and ingredient compliance with local regulations.
- Act as a strategic thought partner for the beef category menu innovation team, provide input on business hypothesis and learning KPIs.
Innovation and Improvement
- Develop expertise in industry trends and processes to identify options for multiple product categories, with a primary focus on beef, but also including baked goods, meats, dairy, and produce.
- Provide targeted products and solutions for strategic menu needs; serve as a Global Sensory Expert.
- Assess emerging industry technologies and explore their application to McDonald’s beef menu requirements.
- Identify innovative options for core menu improvement and collaborate with cross-functional teams (Supply Chain Management, Nutrition, Quality Systems, RSG, AOW Menu Leads) to implement enhancements.
- Challenge existing operational platforms to improve processes and meet strategic menu objectives.
Business Results
- Represent McDonald’s globally to suppliers, marketing, AOW Menu Leads, Global Nutrition, and other departments to communicate plans and projects for core beef menu improvement.
- Facilitate understanding of the business case for new products and concepts among staff and suppliers.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Meat Science, or a related discipline.
- Demonstrated expertise in developing process-capable functional specifications.
- Experience working across multiple product categories (e.g., poultry, bakery, coating systems, liquid products, dairy).
- Ability to communicate effectively with audiences possessing varying levels of technical knowledge.
This leadership role is responsible for identifying, developing, and commercializing new and improved beef products and processes. The incumbent is a subject matter expert in at least one technical area and operates independently to create impactful work plans. As a technical leader, this position drives internal technical community training and development, leveraging deep knowledge of R\&D, ingredients, product formulation, and food processing. Responsibilities include assessing emerging ingredients and process technologies, partnering with vendors for innovation, and working across multiple product lines. Research and development activities will focus on beef but may extend to other food products and processes. The role requires strong analytical, presentation, and project management skills, as well as the ability to lead cross-functional teams and communicate findings to Marketing, Operations, and Senior Leadership.
Compensation
Bonus Eligible: Yes
Long - Term Incentive: Yes
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Salary Range
The expected salary range for this role is $141,955.00 - $177,444.00 per year
The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors.
Additional Information:
Benefits eligible: This position offers health and welfare benefits, a 401(k) plan, adoption assistance program, educational assistance program, flexible ways of working, and time off policies (including sick leave, parental leave, and vacation/PTO). Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on job classification and length of employment.
McDonald’s is an equal opportunity employer committed to the diversity of our workforce. We promote an inclusive work environment that creates feel-good moments for everyone. McDonald’s provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as part of the application or hiring process or to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise feel you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact mcdhrbenefits@us.mcd.com. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
McDonald’s provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Nothing in this job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment.