Director, R&D – Digital Transformation

Jobtailor; Glenview (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Glenview, IL seeks a senior leader to drive the digital transformation of R&D, aligning science with enterprise value. You will define a phased roadmap, integrate legacy systems into a unified data platform, and shape organization design to scale capabilities across WIP and product lines.

You will lead cross-functional teams, manage external partners, and establish governance for data, AI, and analytics to enable aggressive innovation and impact across the business.

Qualifications

• 17+ years with bachelor, 16+ with master, or 15+ with PhD in a relevant field.
• 12+ years leading digital analytics, or advanced tech initiatives in R&D, manufacturing, or product development.
• Proven track record defining digital transformation strategy in a complex CPG or food & beverage environment.
• Experience in organizational design and workforce planning: building teams and roadmaps.
• Expertise across food science, product development, or chemical/mechanical engineering.
• Strong knowledge of ML, generative AI, modeling, and modern data architectures.
• Familiarity with PLM, ELN, LIMS and data interoperability challenges.
• Executive presence to influence senior leadership and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Own the R&D digital transformation agenda and translate ambition into a phased strategic roadmap.
• Connect roadmap to enterprise value: top-line growth, productivity, sustainability, and time-to-market.
• Define target-state team structure, capability architecture, and workforce plan for scale.
• Determine optimal mix of internal talent, external hires, and partners.
• Establish hiring profiles and development pathways for a multidisciplinary team.
• Lead integration of legacy PLM, ELN, and LIMS into a cohesive data platform.
• Define governance protocols for universal data taxonomy and specifications.
• Establish data quality standards and ingestion pipelines for AI and analytics.
• Lead ML, simulation, and generative AI model development and deployment.
• Guide build-vs-buy decisions for digital R&D platforms with IT.
• Design scalable Hub-and-Spoke engagement model for rapid tool adoption.
• Recruit and retain talent who translate science problems into digital solutions.
• Serve as senior advocate for digital R&D transformation and cross-functional coalitions.
• Drive measurable value creation and executive engagement with cross-functional leadership.

Skills

Digital transformation strategy

Organizational design

Workforce planning

Multidisciplinary teams

ML & AI basics

Data architecture

R&D enterprise systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, data science, computer science, food science, or related field

Tools

PLM/ELN/LIMS familiarity

Job description

Responsibilities

• Own the R&D digital transformation agenda
• Translate organizational ambition into a phased, prioritized strategic roadmap
• Connect the roadmap directly to enterprise value: top-line growth, productivity, sustainability commitments, and time-to-market competitiveness
• Own organizational design for the NA Digital R&D team
• Define the target‑state team structure, capability architecture, and workforce plan required to operate at scale
• Determine the optimal mix of internal talent, external hires, and strategic partners
• Establish hiring profiles and development pathways for a multidisciplinary team
• Lead integration of legacy PLM, ELN, and LIMS systems into a cohesive data platform
• Define governance protocols ensuring ingredient specifications, packaging tolerances, sensory data, and process parameters share a universal taxonomy
• Establish the data quality standards and ingestion pipelines required to power reliable AI and predictive analytics at scale
• Lead development and deployment of physics/engineering/chem‑based simulation, machine learning, and generative AI models
• Guide build‑vs‑buy decisions for digital R&D platforms in partnership with IT
• Design and operationalize a scalable Hub‑and‑Spoke engagement model enabling rapid, repeatable adoption of digital tools
• Recruit, develop, and retain professionals who can translate between scientific problem statements and digital solutions
• Serve as the senior advocate for digital R&D transformation
• Build cross‑functional coalitions with R&D, Operations, IT, Marketing, and Quality
• Drive adoption through proof‑of‑concept delivery, measurable value creation, and consistent executive engagement

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, data science, computer science, food science, or a related technical field with 17 years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree with 16 years of relevant experience OR PhD with 15 years of relevant experience
• 12+ years leading digital, analytics, or advanced technology initiatives within R&D, manufacturing, or product development
• Proven track record defining, not just executing, digital transformation strategy in a complex, matrixed CPG or food & beverage environment
• Demonstrated experience in organizational design and workforce planning: building team structures, hiring roadmaps, and scaling functions from early stage to operational maturity
• Experience managing and interacting in multidisciplinary teams
• Deep technical fluency in one or more of the following: food science, product development, chemical/mechanical engineering, and/or packaging development
• Strong foundational knowledge of machine learning, generative AI, computational modeling, and modern data architecture
• Familiarity with R&D enterprise systems (PLM, ELN, LIMS) and associated data interoperability challenges
• Ability to define a compelling transformation vision and connect R&D capability directly to enterprise value
• Skilled at navigating legacy corporate cultures, aligning cross‑functional stakeholders, and establishing clear decision rights over data governance and digital protocols
• Entrepreneurial orientation: comfortable with ambiguity, building from scratch, and making sound decisions with incomplete information
• Executive presence sufficient to influence at the senior executive level and represent the digital R&D agenda with external partners and industry peers.