R&D Commercialization Director – Beverages

Sunny Sky Products, LLC; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Sunny Sky Products, LLC in Houston, TX seeks an R&D Technical Commercialization Director to bridge innovation and market execution. You will ensure formulations are process-matched, validated for scale, and production-ready across hot-fill, pasteurization, and aseptic processes.

Lead a 55+ project portfolio, collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Supply Chain, and mentor a growing lab team while driving stage-gate governance, cost optimization, and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in food and beverage R&D with commercialization experience.
• Hands-on thermal-process expertise across hot-fill, pasteurization, low-acid aseptic, or dry blend.
• Experience translating technical data into commercial-ready information.
• Regulatory, labeling, and shelf-life validation knowledge.
• Leadership of multi-project portfolios with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead commercialization-stage R&D portfolio (55+ active projects) with stage-gate discipline.
• Ensure process-matched formulations with plant time/temperature parameters.
• Own handoff from R&D to commercial launch including scale-up and shelf-life.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Supply Chain.
• Drive cost optimization and COGS initiatives.
• Mentor and develop R&D lab teams.

Skills

R&D Leadership

Commercialization

Analytical skills

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Smartsheet

Asana

Job description

Sunny Sky Products, LLC in Houston, TX seeks an R&D Technical Commercialization Director to bridge innovation and market execution. You will ensure formulations are process-matched, validated for scale, and production-ready across hot-fill, pasteurization, and aseptic processes.

Lead a 55+ project portfolio, collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Supply Chain, and mentor a growing lab team while driving stage-gate governance, cost optimization, and regulatory compliance.