Director, Technical Production & Beverage Process Innovation

westrockcoffeeinternaljobs; Conway (AR); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

WestRock Coffee seeks a Technical Product Management Director – Engineering to lead the development and validation of new technologies, ensuring product specs, quality, and throughput targets are met. The role interfaces with R&D, Engineering, Operations, FSQA, vendors, and co-manufacturers to align equipment design with beverage outcomes.

This role drives IQ/OQ/CQV, process optimization, and lifecycle management while exploring Co-manufacturing or M&A support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years in technical product development, coffee processing, or engineering with leadership.
• Experience with FDA/USDA/SQF and process authorities in beverage manufacturing.
• Expertise linking equipment choices to product taste, quality, and brand promises.
• Strong cross-functional leadership and project management in fast-paced settings.

Responsibilities

• Shape technical strategy for equipment and process design with product quality and regulatory focus.
• Own specs for liquid coffee extraction, filtration, and automated recipe management.
• Lead CQV activities and initial production runs ensuring commercial readiness.
• Drive optimization of batching, blending, and line integrations for consistency.
• Collaborate on pilot plants, packaging formats, and scale-up to production.
• Provide hands-on expertise in product and sensory research and external partnerships.

Skills

Product strategy

Team leadership

Regulatory compliance

Process optimization

Equipment design

Vendor management

IQ/OQ/CQV

Quality assurance

New product development

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Food Science degree

Engineering degree

Job description

WestRock Coffee seeks a Technical Product Management Director – Engineering to lead the development and validation of new technologies, ensuring product specs, quality, and throughput targets are met. The role interfaces with R&D, Engineering, Operations, FSQA, vendors, and co-manufacturers to align equipment design with beverage outcomes.

This role drives IQ/OQ/CQV, process optimization, and lifecycle management while exploring Co-manufacturing or M&A support.