Principal Product Innovation KIND

mars; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

KIND is seeking a Principal Scientist, Product Innovation, to lead the development and commercialization of breakthrough product platforms and formulations. This senior role drives consumer-centric growth while advancing the KIND brand and portfolio strategy.

The successful candidate will translate insights and emerging technologies into scalable, high-quality products, leading cross-functional teams across R&D, Marketing, and Operations to deliver differentiated consumer experiences at scale.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or a closely related discipline
• 12+ years leading end-to-end development and commercialization in the food industry
• Deep expertise in product formulation, ingredient functionality, processing technologies, and scale-up

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development and commercialization of new products and platforms
• Drive breakthrough formulations and product technologies
• Develop innovative technical solutions to accelerate timelines
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Marketing, Insights, Supply Chain, and Quality
• Guide development from benchtop to launch and ensure technical readiness

Skills

Food science

Product formulation

Ingredient functionality

Scale-up principles

Cross-functional leadership

Communication skills

Project management

Innovative technical solutions

Emerging ingredients/technologies

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science or Chemistry

Advanced degree

Job description

The Principal Scientist, Product Innovation is a senior technical leader within the KIND Product Development team, responsible for driving breakthrough product innovation from concept through commercialization. This role leads the development of new product platforms, formulations, and technologies that deliver consumer-centric growth while advancing the KIND brand and portfolio strategy.

The Principal Scientist leverages product development expertise, technical curiosity, and cross-functional influence to identify opportunities, solve complex challenges, and bring differentiated products to market. This role serves as a key technical expert, translating consumer insights, business objectives, and emerging food technologies into scalable, high-quality products that fuel future growth.

What are we looking for?

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, a closely related discipline or equivalent
• 12+ years of leading the end-to-end development and commercialization of new products, product improvements, and innovation platforms within the food industry
• Deep expertise in food science, product formulation, ingredient functionality, processing technologies, and scale-up principles. Proven ability to apply scientific and technical knowledge to solve complex product development challenges and create differentiated consumer experiences
• Proven track record of successfully managing complex projects, including leading cross-functional teams and driving collaborative initiatives across R&D, Quality, Supply Chain, and Marketing
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to convey technical concepts to diverse audiences. Adept at identifying challenges, developing solutions, and facilitating effective decision-making
• Possesses deep subject matter expertise in product development and commercialization, including formulation design, ingredient functionality, processing technologies, scale-up, and successful launch execution across food and snack categories
• Demonstrates a strong ability to develop innovative and creative technical solutions that accelerate innovation timelines, overcome complex development challenges, and enable the successful delivery of high-impact business initiatives
• Proven track record of developing and executing complex innovation programs, translating consumer insights, market opportunities, and business objectives into commercially successful products and platforms
• Extensive experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing stakeholders across R&D, Marketing, Consumer Insights, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, and Procurement to drive alignment and achieve project objectives
• Skilled at balancing consumer, technical, operational, and financial considerations to deliver scalable product solutions that meet quality expectations while supporting business growth objectives
• Demonstrated ability to identify, evaluate, and apply emerging ingredients, technologies, and industry trends to create differentiated products and support future innovation opportunities
• Recognized for solving complex technical challenges and providing expert guidance during product development, scale-up, commercialization, and post-launch performance optimization

Preferred Qualifications

• Advance degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or a closely related discipline
• Proven track record of developing and executing complex innovation programs, translating consumer insights, market opportunities, and business objectives into commercially successful products and platforms
• Experience mentoring and developing technical talent, fostering a culture of scientific excellence, continuous learning, and knowledge sharing across the organization

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Lead the end-to-end development and commercialization of new products, product improvements, and innovation platforms, ensuring successful delivery from concept through launch while meeting consumer, business, quality, and operational objectives
• Drive the creation of breakthrough formulations and product technologies that strengthen the KIND portfolio, delivering differentiated consumer experiences and supporting business growth objectives
• Develop and implement innovative technical solutions to overcome complex product development and manufacturing challenges, enabling accelerated project timelines and successful execution within dynamic business environments
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Marketing, Consumer Insights, Supply Chain, Procurement, Operations, Quality, and Regulatory teams to translate consumer and business needs into scalable product solutions
• Guide product and process development through benchtop development, pilot plant testing, manufacturing scale-up, and commercialization, ensuring technical readiness and successful launch execution
• Identify, evaluate, and incorporate emerging ingredients, technologies, processing methods, and industry trends to support