Baker Full Time NEW

Position: Baker

Position Type: Full-Time, ongoing

Salary: $79,500 to $81,500 plus superannuation per annum

Location: Abbotsford VIC 3067

Our client is seeking an experienced Baker to join their Bakery located in Abbotsford, Victoria.

The Baker is responsible for the end-to-end production of bread, sourdough, pastry and other baked goods to the standards, recipes and volumes set by the business. The role involves planning daily production, preparing and mixing doughs and batters, managing fermentation and proving, operating and monitoring ovens and bakery plant, and finishing and presenting products for retail sale and wholesale dispatch. The Baker is expected to work with limited supervision, exercise independent judgement over dough condition and bake quality, and ensure all work is carried out in accordance with food safety and workplace health and safety requirements.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Production planning and preparation

• Plan and schedule daily and weekly production runs to meet retail demand, standing wholesale orders and special orders, taking into account fermentation times, oven capacity and dispatch deadlines.
• Calculate and scale recipe quantities and ingredient ratios for varying batch sizes, adjusting for hydration, ambient temperature, humidity and flour performance.
• Select, weigh and measure ingredients including flours, water, salt, natural leavens and starters, yeasts, fats, sugars, dairy and fillings, in accordance with standard recipes and specifications.
• Maintain, refresh and monitor sourdough starters and pre-ferments, assessing activity, acidity and readiness for use.
• Prepare fillings, glazes, toppings, creams and finishes required for pastries, cakes and specialty items.

Mixing, shaping and baking

• Operate spiral and planetary mixers to combine ingredients and develop dough to the required consistency, temperature and gluten development.
• Manage bulk fermentation, folding, dividing, pre-shaping, benching, final shaping and proving of doughs, assessing dough condition by sight, touch and time.
• Laminate and sheet pastry doughs, including croissant and Danish doughs, and shape, fill and finish pastry products.
• Score, load and bake products in deck, rack and convection ovens, setting and adjusting temperature, steam, bake time and loading sequence to achieve the required crust, colour, crumb and structure.
• Monitor products throughout the bake and make real-time adjustments to correct for variation in dough behaviour or oven performance.
• Cool, finish, decorate, portion, slice, package and label finished products for retail display, wholesale dispatch and storage.

Quality control and food safety

• Assess finished products against established quality standards for appearance, aroma, flavour, crumb structure, crust and shelf life, and rectify or reject product that does not meet specification.
• Identify and troubleshoot production faults such as under- or over-fermentation, poor oven spring, inconsistent crumb, cracking or collapse, and adjust process parameters accordingly.
• Comply at all times with the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, the business food safety program and applicable HACCP-based procedures.
• Maintain temperature, cleaning, allergen and production records, and complete food safety documentation accurately and on time.
• Apply strict personal hygiene, allergen control and cross-contamination prevention practices throughout production, storage and packaging.

Equipment, stock and housekeeping

• Operate, monitor, clean and carry out routine user maintenance on bakery plant and equipment, including mixers, dough dividers, sheeters, provers, retarders, deck and rack ovens, and refrigeration.
• Report equipment faults, breakdowns and safety hazards promptly and arrange or assist with servicing as directed.
• Monitor stock levels of flour, ingredients, packaging and consumables; order or requisition supplies to maintain continuity of production and minimise waste and spoilage.
• Receive, inspect and correctly store deliveries, applying stock rotation and use-by controls.
• Maintain the bakery, coolrooms, storage areas and equipment in a clean, orderly and sanitary condition in accordance with cleaning schedules.

Product development and team contribution

• Contribute to the development, testing and costing of new products, seasonal lines and recipe variations, and document successful formulations.
• Provide practical instruction, direction and on-the-job training to bakery assistants and apprentices in dough handling, shaping, baking and hygiene practices.
• Liaise with the Manager and Owner regarding production volumes, ingredient costs, waste, product performance and customer feedback.
• Work cooperatively with retail and dispatch staff to ensure orders are complete, correctly labelled and ready for collection or delivery on time.
• Comply with all workplace health and safety obligations, including safe manual handling, safe use of equipment and correct use of personal protective equipment.

Requirements:

Essential

• A recognised qualification in Baking, Bread Baking or Patisserie at AQF Certificate III level or higher, or an equivalent overseas qualification
• At least 12 months of relevant experience as a Baker
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in high-volume commercial bread and pastry production.
• Practical working knowledge of sourdough and natural leaven processes, including starter maintenance, long fermentation and retarded proving.
• Ability to scale recipes, calculate baker’s percentages and adjust formulations for batch size and conditions.
• Competence in the safe operation of commercial bakery equipment, including mixers, sheeters, provers and deck and rack ovens.
• Sound understanding of food safety, hygiene and allergen management requirements applicable to food production in Australia.
• Physical capacity to perform the inherent requirements of the role, including standing for extended periods, repetitive manual work and lifting of ingredient sacks and trays.
• Availability and willingness to work early morning, overnight, weekend and public holiday shifts as rostered.
• Ability to work accurately and consistently under time pressure with minimal supervision.
• Effective English communication skills sufficient to follow recipes and instructions, complete records and work safely as part of a team.

Desirable

• Formal food safety training or a current Food Safety Supervisor certificate.
• Experience in an artisan or wholesale bakery supplying cafes, restaurants and retailers.
• Experience in laminated pastry production.
• Experience training or supervising junior bakery staff or apprentices.