Head of Clean-Label Product Development

Kevin's Natural Foods; California (MO); On-site; USD 130,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

Kevin’s Natural Foods seeks an R&D Manager to drive innovation, lead the Product Development team from concept to production, and ensure clean-label, nutritious, and flavorful offerings. You will oversee cross-functional collaboration and scale-up initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires a Bachelor’s in Food Science or related field with 5+ years in food product development, including leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science or related field; advanced degree a plus.
• Minimum 5 years in food product development in manufacturing, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Deep knowledge of ingredient functionality, flavor development, sensory evaluation, and clean-label development.
• Strong GMP, HACCP, food safety and regulatory compliance knowledge.
• Proven experience managing cross-functional projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with paleo/keto or specialized dietary products is a strong plus.
• Proficiency with nutritional software, quality systems, spreadsheets, and lab documentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop the R&D product development team.
• Oversee all aspects of new product development from ideation to commercialization.
• Drive project prioritization, resources, and timelines.
• Lead formulation, costing, sourcing, and process optimization while ensuring compliance.
• Collaborate with nutritionists, QA/QC, and culinary teams to meet standards.
• Evaluate emerging trends and new ingredients.
• Set strategic vision for product innovation and cross-functional alignment.
• Partner with Marketing, Sales, and Brand teams for launches and campaigns.
• Assist with taste panels and sensory evaluations to exceed expectations.
• Serve as R&D liaison for label approvals and regulatory compliance.
• Maintain R&D processes and documentation standards.
• Troubleshoot production issues and optimize processes.
• Maintain records in recipe/formula systems for reproducibility.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

GMP/HACCP knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science or related

Advanced degree a plus

Tools

Nutritional software

Quality management systems

Spreadsheets

Lab documentation tools

Job description

Kevin’s Natural Foods seeks an R&D Manager to drive innovation, lead the Product Development team from concept to production, and ensure clean-label, nutritious, and flavorful offerings. You will oversee cross-functional collaboration and scale-up initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires a Bachelor’s in Food Science or related field with 5+ years in food product development, including leadership.