CareersInFood.com · 1 day ago
Director of Research Development
Westbrook, ME
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
15+ years expCareersInFood.com is seeking a hands-on Senior R&D Director who embodies a player-coach leadership style. This role involves leading and mentoring a team of product development food individuals while being actively involved in formulation work and innovation.
Human ResourcesManufacturing
Hiring Manager
Andi Thornbury
Responsibilities
Lead and Develop the R&D Team: Direct and mentor a team of food scientists & technologists while remaining actively involved in hands-on formulation in the creation of customer samples and product development work
Establish KPIs to establish clear, measurable expectations for the team’s output, efficiency and impact-helping leadership assess progress objectively to meet expected timelines
Maintain visibility into lead times and inventory status for key ingredients and packaging on all R&D projects. Communicate material needs to Supply Chain early to allow for timely procurement and prevent shortages when initiating R&D tasks that supports a customer’s timeline
Responsible, with their team, for the creation, accurate, and timely delivery of all customer product specification sheets and Bills of Materials (BOMs). This includes documenting detailed instructions, formulations, and ingredient specifications that ensure Operations can replicate bench-developed products consistently and accurately without delays or errors
Drive Innovation: Create and guide the development of new products aligned with market trends, customer needs, and company capabilities. Encourage a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement
Customer Engagement: Serve as the primary technical and culinary liaison to customers, leading discussions on product development, troubleshooting, and reformulation opportunities
Culinary Presentations: Conduct engaging in-person culinary presentations and tastings for customers—both at company headquarters, customer sites, or trade shows—effectively showcasing innovation and technical expertise
Trend Translation: Monitor and interpret emerging food and flavor trends, translating insights into actionable product concepts and customer recommendations
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Quality to ensure successful commercialization of products from concept through launch
Project Management: Oversee multiple development projects, ensuring timelines, specifications, and customer expectations are consistently met. Including projects based on recipe adjustments for cost optimization. Manage resources and budgets for R&D
Ensure compliance with food safety standards (GMP, HACCP, SQF, USDA, FDA, FNS) and support certification processes
Qualification
Required
15+ years of experience in food/beverage manufacturing, with at least 10 years in food product development (wet blended, sauce-type products)
Bachelor's or master's degree in food science, Culinary Arts, Food Technology or a related field (MS preferred)
Strong foundation in formulation science, ingredient functionality, flavor systems and processing techniques
Experience with food safety regulations, quality standards, and labeling requirements
Proven bench-level development experience and ability to lead hands-on product formulation and troubleshooting
In-depth knowledge of USDA, FDA, FNS regulations and HACCP program development
Demonstrated leadership, analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills
Experience managing multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
Preferred
Culinary experience or background is highly desirable, particularly for hands-on product development and customer presentations
Knowledge of clean label, organic, and better-for-you product development trends a plus
Better Process School Certification (Low Acid & Acidified preferred); SQF Practitioner Certification preferred
Company
CareersInFood.com
CareersInFood is the largest & most comprehensive niche job board in North America dedicated to the Food & Beverage Manufacturing community.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageCompany data provided by crunchbase