R&D Engineering Supervisor

Foodmate, a Duravant Company; Ball Ground (GA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Foodmate, a Duravant Company, is seeking an R&D Engineering Supervisor to lead day‑to‑day product design and development for Foodmate US machines. You will supervise professionals, set priorities, and ensure that solutions meet market needs, quality standards, and cost targets.

You will apply engineering analysis, plan projects, and drive continuous improvement while collaborating with manufacturing, service, sales, and operations to support lifecycle management and product standardization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor or Master in engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in engineered product development.
• Experience managing a team.
• Experience translating technology into machine concepts.
• Preferably experience in food processing and with food safety/regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead day‑to‑day product design engineering and R&D activities for Foodmate US machines.
• Apply engineering principles to evaluate feasibility, performance, and reliability of designs.
• Plan and oversee R&D and engineering projects with timelines and resources.
• Contribute to design and optimization of manufacturing processes and tooling.
• Supervise staff by setting objectives and coaching team members.
• Establish KPIs to ensure quality and timely execution.
• Ensure adherence to policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with manufacturing, service, sales, and operations.

Skills

Team leadership

Engineering analysis

Project management

Technology-to-machine translation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor/Master’s in engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Electrical design (preferred)

Job description

The R&D Engineering Supervisor is responsible for leading day-to-day product design engineering and research & development activities focused on the design, development, improvement, and lifecycle management of Foodmate machines. This role supervises professional and technical staff, sets operational priorities, and ensures that engineering solutions meet market needs, regulatory requirements, quality standards, cost and manufacturability targets. The position blends hands‑on technical leadership with people management, project oversight, and cross‑functional collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day‑to‑day product design engineering and R&D activities for new and existing Foodmate US machines, ensuring solutions meet customer requirements, regulatory standards, and cost and manufacturability targets.
• Apply engineering principles, analysis, and modeling to evaluate feasibility, performance, and reliability of designs, support prototyping, testing, and product modifications.
• Plan, prioritize, and oversee R&D and engineering projects, managing scope, timelines, resources, and deliverables while supporting innovation and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the design and optimization of product‑specific manufacturing processes, tooling, and equipment.
• Supervise professional and technical staff by setting operational objectives, assigning work, monitoring performance, and coaching team members.
• Establish and track KPIs to ensure quality, productivity, and timely execution of engineering projects.
• Ensure engineering policies, procedures, documentation, and food safety and regulatory requirements are understood and followed.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with manufacturing, service, sales, and operations to support product standardization, lifecycle management, and customer solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor/Master’s degree in engineering, Food Science, Agri-Technical / Technological or related field
• Minimum 5 years’ experience of working in engineered product development for a comparable industry
• Experience in managing and supervising a team
• Experience in translating technology into machine concepts
• Preferably experienced in the food processing industry
• Preferably experienced with food safety and government regulatory requirements
• Knowledge of project management and stage-gate R&D processes
• Knowledge of SolidWorks software
• Knowledge of electrical design preferred