At Zaxbys, we don't just serve chicken — we serve Sauce. As Culinary Commercialization Chef (R&D), you'll manage the commercialization pathway for culinary innovation – from development through consumer testing, readiness, validation, training alignment, and manufacturing support. This role ensures products advance through the pipeline with clear ownership, operational feasibility, and documented process alignment. The ability to operate with a balanced mix of hands-on test and cross-functional technical leadership.

You'll be a great fit if:

• You have an end-to-end commercialization mindset: able to influence and align Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, and Quality Assurance.
• You can juggle projects and priorities: able to jump between kitchen testing, documentation, plant visits, and executive reviews without losing momentum, attention to detail or a positive attitude
• You love process: you naturally document, standardize and de-risk – ensure clear handoffs and repeatable processes.
• You're comfortable with change and ambiguity: you thrive in the white space; can build structure where it may not exist and more projects forward without perfect information.
• You have a bias for action: you are pragmatic, decisive and solutions oriented – you know when to push forward and when to pause and ask for help.

This position is based in Atlanta, GA and allows for a hybrid work schedule that includes 3 in-office days per week.

Benefits Include:

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance
• Company-paid Disability, Critical Illness, and Basic Life insurance
• 401K participation with Company match
• 50% off meal discount at company-owned locations
• Parental Leave
• Child Care Assistance
• Education Assistance Program
• PTO and 9 Company Holidays + 2 Floating Holidays

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Essential duties may include but are not limited to the following:

Concept to Testing Advancement:

• Partner with members of the Culinary R&D team and Menu Services to advance concepts from ideation to consumer testing readiness – and ultimately – system-wide rollout.
• Translate culinary intent into executable, testable builds suitable for system evaluation.
• Prepare consumer testing inputs including build logic, assumptions, risks, and mitigation strategies.
• Support all consumer testing preparation in terms of ordering product and ensuring facility is prepared for testing in conjunction with consumer insights team.
• Following consumer testing, continue shepherding SKU commercialization through national implementation in conjunction with cross-functional partners and menu teams.

Commercialization Testing & Validation:

• Key culinary partner for all Food Innovation projects with QA/Food Safety, Operations, and Supply Chain, participating in all working sessions to maximize efficiency, quality, and consistency.
• Internal Support:
Leads hands-on testing with operations and team to ensure aligned procedures deliver gold-standard product quality.Key contact for validating all holding performance, throughput, equipment capability, portion control and execution consistency asks of cross-functional teams.Works with cross-functional teams to identify failure points and recommends refinements prior to pilot testing or rollout.Works with cross-functional packaging project team on all questions on impacts to hold times, moisture, packaging durability, speed of service and waste.Provides input to training materials and execution guides.Supports projects post-CLT through full menu readiness, ensuring decisions are implemented.
• Specification & Manufacturing Support:
Supports development of ingredient specs, build standards, and quality parameters for new SKU production.Supports pilot runs and production runs with suppliers and internal partners.Key partner in all Failure and Risk Testing, identifying from a culinary POV where suppliers may take shortcuts, drift, mis-execute, etc. and own documenting what is gained, lost or acceptable within each scenario.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Strong organizational skills and ability to keep projects on task, on time and aligned through the organization.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and campaigns simultaneously in a fast-paced environment and coordinate clear handoffs within and between teams
• Able to influence up, down and across multiple levels of the organization and cross-functional teams and backing up decisions with data.
• Able to identify potential roadblocks and issues with projects proactively, including in areas outside culinary scope like operations, costing, etc.
• Strong follow-through mindset from approval to execution
• Microsoft Office Suite proficiency
• Ability to handle confidential/sensitive information appropriately

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE GUIDELINES

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, Nutrition or related field; OR equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experience: 3-5 years in culinary R&D, product development, or commercialization within QSR or fast-casual environments; experience supporting consumer testing, pilots or manufacturing

Zaxby's Franchising LLC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment decisions based on any factor protected by federal, state or local law.

Pay Range: $74,000 - $82,000