Manager R&D, - Product Dev Warrendale, PA, US Posted 12 hours ago

Kraft Heinz, Inc.; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 104,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Wellbeing programs

401k plan

Paid time off

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

Kraft Heinz Innovation Center in Warrendale, PA seeks an experienced Manager R&D, Taste Elevation to lead product development and a capable team across multiple brands. You will translate business needs and regulatory requirements into practical development plans, driving projects from concept to commercialization with strong cross-functional collaboration.

You will mentor staff, manage priorities, and ensure rigorous technical execution in a fast-paced, hybrid work environment with up to 30%

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related field with 6+ years in product development in CPG or related industry; or Master’s with 5+ years; or PhD with 4+ years.
• Demonstrated people leadership, coaching, and talent development experience.
• Strong knowledge of ingredients, formulation, processing equipment, and lab test methods.
• Ability to lead multiple projects across priorities and communicate clearly with stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel up to 30% across US/Canada.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development across cross-functional projects and categories within Taste Elevation, including brand maintenance and portfolio evolution.
• Manage, coach, and develop a team of product developers, setting priorities and providing feedback.
• Translate business objectives and regulatory requirements into clear development plans from concept to commercialization.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to drive project progress, resolve issues, and meet timelines.
• Lead product testing, qualification, and commercialization across lab, pilot plant, and production environments.
• Apply technical judgment to formulate ingredients and processes and guide team decisions.
• Communicate findings, risks, and recommendations to leadership and stakeholders.
• Manage multiple priorities, identify tradeoffs, and ensure clear execution and accountability.
• Build effective ways of working across teams and travel to external sites as needed.
• Mentor and develop colleagues to strengthen capability and business results.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Problem solving

Regulatory awareness

Education

B.S. in Food Science / Chemistry / Chemical Engineering / Life Sciences

M.S. in related field

Ph.D. in related field

Job description

## Manager R&D, - Product DevHeinz Innovation Center, Pennsylvania, United States of AmericaApply NowJob IDR-105378Date posted08/03/2026TeamProduct DevelopmentLocationWarrendale, PA, USManage a team of research and development professionals, overseeing research and development projects and studies in order to investigate relationships, solve technical problems, and develop new solutions for a specific application or within a specific branch of science. Independently evaluate, select, and apply standard engineering/scientific techniques, processes, and criteria.## Job Description**Manager R&D, Taste Elevation Business Continuity**The R&D Manager, Taste Elevation (TE), Business Continuity leads product development in the sauces and condiments space across current portfolio of TE brands (e.g., Heinz, Kraft, Miracle Whip, etc.) while managing and developing a team of product developers supporting primarily brand maintenance initiatives. This role is responsible for translating business needs, supply- and regulatory requirements into practical development plans, driving technical execution and ensuring projects progress effectively from concept through commercialization. This leader is expected to operate effectively in a dynamic, cross-functional environment and to balance people leadership with strong technical and project leadership. Success in the role requires sound product development judgment, the ability to manage multiple priorities, and strong collaboration across R&D, operations, quality, regulatory, marketing, and supply chain. The role also requires building team capability, setting clear expectations, and developing talent to meet current and future business needs.**Key Responsibilities:**• Lead product development across multiple cross-functional projects and product categories within the Taste Elevation business, including brand maintenance, portfolio evolution, and productivity initiatives • Manage, coach, and develop a team of product developers, including setting priorities, providing feedback, and building technical and leadership capability across product development and brand maintenance responsibilities • Translate business objectives and regulatory requirements into clear development plans and ensure effective execution from concept through commercialization • Partner with cross-functional teams to drive project progress, resolve technical issues, and deliver against business timelines • Lead product testing, qualification, and commercialization activities across laboratory, pilot plant, and production environments • Apply strong technical judgment to product, ingredient, process, and formulation challenges and guide the team through problem-solving and decision-making • Communicate technical findings, recommendations, risks, and implications clearly to cross-functional stakeholders and leadership • Manage multiple priorities concurrently and proactively identify tradeoffs, resource constraints, and priority conflicts across initiatives, including planned and unplanned brand maintenance asks • Build strong ways of working across the team and cross-functional partners to improve execution, clarity, and accountability • Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to learn new categories, technologies, and processing areas in support of business needs • Ensure high-quality documentation, technical rigor, and strong executional discipline across development work • Mentor, coach, and collaborate with colleagues within and outside the immediate team to strengthen capability and business results**Qualifications:*** Bachelor’s degree required in Food Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related field, plus a minimum of 6 years of product development experience within CPG, food and beverage, or a related industry; or master’s degree plus a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, or PhD plus a minimum of 4 years of relevant experience* Demonstrated people leadership experience, including leading, coaching, and developing technical talent* Strong knowledge of ingredients, product formulation, processing equipment, ingredient interactions, and laboratory test methods* Proven ability to lead product development and commercialization across multiple projects and priorities* Strong communication, influencing, project management, and problem-solving skills* Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment with changing priorities* Strong technical judgment and ability to design effective experiments, interpret results, and adjust plans as needed* Self-motivated and able to deliver results with a high degree of ownership in a complex environment* Strong ability to prioritize across competing business needs and make sound tradeoff decisions* Willingness to travel up to 30%, including travel to internal plants, co-manufacturers, suppliers, and other business locations in the United States and Canada**Work Environment & Schedule**This position is considered a Normal office environment with some travel or visits to external locations; offices are open workspaces. Additionally, this role requires in office presence at least three days per week in compliance with hybrid work schedule.**Physical Requirements**Physical demands include but not limited to· Lift up to 30 lbs, navigate lab, storage, and manufacturing environments.This job description is not designed to cover or contain all duties or responsibilities that are required of the role. Duties or responsibilities may change or be added with or without notice.Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz’ strategy and values.**New Hire Base Salary Range:**$104,200.00 - $130,200.00**Bonus:** This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.*The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors***Benefits:** Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family’s needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.**Wellbeing:** We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families.You’ll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example:* Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments* Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training* Emotional – Employee Assistance Program , Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs* Financial – 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability**Location(s)**Heinz Innovation Center**Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact** [e-mail] **for assistance.**