Manager, Research & Development

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Oversee the development of new products, line extensions, renovations, and cost-optimization initiatives across various snack formats.

• Collaborate with Marketing to transform consumer insights and product ideas into formulas that satisfy sensory, cost, manufacturing, regulatory, and retailer standards.

• Establish product requirements, evaluate technical and food safety feasibility, and assist in claims substantiation with Regulatory.

• Analyze ingredients and processing methods for effectiveness, scalability, and cost efficiency.

• Manage the commercialization process from feasibility studies through to full-scale production.

• Lead plant trials, scale-ups, and process validations with co-manufacturers, making go/no-go decisions.

• Address technical challenges in high-protein formulations.

• Investigate emerging ingredients, processing technologies, and industry trends.

• Act as the main technical resource for products throughout their lifecycle.

• Provide daily technical support for co-manufacturing partners.

• Collaborate with Quality on root-cause analyses and implement sustainable corrective measures.

• Propel improvements in yield, throughput, consistency, product quality, and consumer satisfaction.

• Achieve cost savings through formula optimization, ingredient substitutions, and process enhancements.

• Utilize plant data, consumer insights, and sensory results to prioritize enhancements and monitor KPIs.

• Conduct internal employee sensory evaluations.

• Define and oversee external consumer research activities, including IHUTs, central location tests, and competitive analysis.

• Draft RFPs, select and manage research vendors, oversee timelines, and communicate findings to leadership.

• Coordinate with Operations, FSQA, Procurement, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Sales on priorities and product launches.

• Report project status, risks, and recommendations to leadership.

• Develop relationships with suppliers, co-manufacturers, and technical partners.

• Document formulas, process alterations, validations, and technical insights.

• Establish stage-gate, change-control, and document-control protocols.

• Enhance product development processes, tools, team efficiency, portfolio visibility, timelines, and performance metrics.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related discipline.

• 5–10 years of progressive experience in CPG food product development, commercialization, or technical operations, including a minimum of 3 years leading projects from start to finish.

• Familiarity with popcorn, baked, or fried snacks.

• Proven history of guiding products from concept to scale-up, plant trials, and commercial launch.

• Strong skills in formulation and ingredient functionality.

• Experience in leading trials and troubleshooting technical issues with co-manufacturers.

• Proficiency in designing sensory evaluations, including triangle, paired comparison, hedonic, and descriptive tests.

• Experience managing external consumer research vendors, including IHUTs.

• Working knowledge of food safety, quality systems, labeling, and retailer specifications.

• Excellent project management skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.

• Willingness to travel approximately 25–40% of the time.

• Preferred: experience with high-protein or better-for-you products.

• Preferred: experience in establishing R&D processes within an emerging, high-growth company.

• Preferred: experience with continuous improvement or operational excellence methodologies.

• Regular travel to pilot plants and production facilities, with exposure to allergens and PPE requirements.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.

• Comprehensive health benefits and retirement plans.

• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning.

• Collaborative and innovative work environment.