Product Development Manager

Socket.dev; Commerce (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Socket.dev is seeking a Product Development Manager to lead technical direction within the R&D function and oversee product development activities from formulation to commercialization. The role blends hands‑on development with leadership to drive high‑quality, scalable solutions across projects.

The successful candidate will bring 8–10 years in food product development or R&D, including 5+ years in management, with strong skills in formulation, process optimization and quality improvement.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of progressive experience in food product development or R&D within a food manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 5 years in a management or lead role.
• Experience leading or supervising product development projects from formulation through scale‑up and commercialization
• Strong expertise in product formulation, process optimization, experimental design, and quality improvement

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and direction for product development activities across assigned projects. Lead and supervise Project Levels 1–2, with ability to support Level 3 as needed
• Guide development approaches and decision‑making to ensure sound technical judgment and execution discipline
• Coach and mentor product developers to strengthen capability, accountability and critical‑thinking skills; remain hands‑on as needed with formulation, trials and commercialization support
• Ensure development decisions consider quality, cost, commercial feasibility and long‑term business impact
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Sales/Marketing, Operations, QA, Purchasing and Finance while leveraging external resources to determine development priorities

Skills

Product development leadership

R&D management

Quality improvement

Analytical problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS in Food Science or related field

MS in Food Science desirable

Job description

Job Description: Manager, Product DevelopmentDepartment: R&D – CO/Peachtree

Position Summary

The Product Development Manager provides technical leadership and oversight for product development activities within R&D. This role combines hands‑on product development expertise with leadership and coaching to drive high‑quality, efficient and scalable development work while strengthening technical rigor, critical thinking and accountability across the team.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and direction for product development activities across assigned projects. Lead and supervise Project Levels 1–2, with the ability to support select/lead Level 3 projects as needed
• Guide development approaches and decision‑making to ensure sound technical judgment and execution discipline. Review and challenge formulation, process and scale‑up work to improve quality and reduce downstream risk
• Coach and mentor product developers to strengthen capability, accountability and

critical‑thinking skills. Remain hands‑on as needed with formulation, trials, troubleshooting and commercialization support

• Ensure development decisions appropriately consider quality, cost, commercial feasibility and long‑term business impact. Support continuous improvement and capability building within the R&D function
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Sales/Marketing, Operations, QA, Purchasing and Finance while leveraging external resources to determine development priorities

Qualifications Education

• BS in Food Science or a related field required, or equivalent experience. MS in Food Science desirable.

Experience

• 8–10 years of progressive experience in food product development or R&D within a food manufacturing environment, including a minimum of 5 years in a management or lead role
• Demonstrated experience leading or supervising product development projects from formulation through scale‑up and commercialization
• Proven ability to manage multiple development projects simultaneously, providing timely technical direction and guidance across varying scopes and priorities
• Strong expertise in product formulation, process optimization, experimental design, and quality improvement. Experience evaluating technical tradeoffs related to quality, cost, manufacturing feasibility, and risk
• Prior experience providing technical guidance, mentoring, and leadership to product developers
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and critical‑thinking skills
• Ability to effectively balance hands‑on technical work with leadership and oversight responsibilities