Product Development Manager (R&D)

Country Life; Hauppauge (NY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health and wellness company in New York is seeking a Product Development Manager to oversee technical aspects of new product innovations across multiple brands. This role requires 3–6 years of experience in dietary supplements or personal care, strong organizational skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams and external partners. The ideal candidate will hold a Bachelor’s degree in a scientific field and possess a detail-oriented mindset focused on bringing innovative solutions to market.

Qualifications

• 3–6 years of experience in research or product development in dietary supplements, personal care, or adjacent CPG industries.
• Proven experience working with contract manufacturers and managing external relationships.
• Strong organizational and time management abilities.

Responsibilities

• Manage the technical aspects of new product development projects.
• Lead technical discussions with contract manufacturing partners.
• Stay current on category trends and ingredient innovation.

Skills

Organizational skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Effective communication

Detail-oriented

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a scientific discipline

Tools

Microsoft Office

Smartsheet

Monday.com

MS Project

Job description

At Country Life, we inspire greatness through our holistic approach to supplement and personal care products. Our team of experts, innovators, and dreamers is dedicated to bringing the power of nature and the promise of science to people at every stage of life. We strive to create a world where our customers can expect wonders through personalized solutions for everybody, every day.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a highly organized and driven candidate to manage our dynamic product development initiatives across our three brands: Country Life Vitamins, Desert Essence and Biochem. This role will focus on managing the technical aspects of new product development (NPD) projects from concept through commercialization, with a strong emphasis on collaboration with external partners (i.e. contract manufacturers). The ideal candidate will have experience in dietary supplements, food, beverage and/or personal care, and a passion for driving meaningful innovation to market.

Key Responsibilities:

• New Product Development: Work closely with cross-functional partners to identify new white space opportunities for product development. Own the end-to-end execution of technical product development within our innovation pipeline, ensuring timely, on-budget delivery with high-quality standards.
• Technical External Partner Relations: Lead technical discussions and day-to-day coordination with contract manufacturing partners to develop and commercialize new formulas. Serve as the R&D point of contact with internal teams (Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, Supply Chain) and external partners (Contract Manufacturers, Ingredient Suppliers).
• Ingredient and Technology Portfolio Management: Stay current on category trends, ingredient innovation, and emerging technologies in supplements and personal care. Maintain an organized portfolio of technology partners (i.e. suppliers and vendors), technology assets and ingredients that may be deployed into NPD programs. Work closely with procurement to support the onboarding of new ingredients as needed.
• Technical Support: Support formula development, sample evaluation, and tech transfer activities. Review specifications and testing protocols as needed.
• Documentation & Compliance: Work closely with our regulatory department to ensure accurate and timely documentation, including product development briefs, timelines, specifications, and change controls.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience and skills:

• 3–6 years of experience in research or product development in dietary supplements, personal care, or adjacent CPG industries.
• Proven experience working with contract manufacturers and managing external relationships.
• Strong organizational and time management abilities.
• Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Project Management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Monday.com, MS Project)
• Learning mindset with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.

Education and certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific discipline (e.g., Chemistry, Biology, Food Science, Chemical Engineering); advanced degree a plus