R&D Manager

Jobtailor; Imperial (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Kevin’s Natural Foods seeks a seasoned R&D leader to guide an innovative product development team from ideation through commercialization. You will oversee formulation, costing, sourcing, and process optimization while ensuring GMP/HACCP and regulatory compliance.

Cross-functional collaboration with nutritionists, QA/QC, and marketing will be essential to deliver high-quality, market-ready products. You will drive strategic product innovation, manage ambitious timelines, and mentor teams to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, or Culinary School certification; advanced degree a plus.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in food product development in a manufacturing environment, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Deep knowledge of ingredient functionality, flavor development, sensory evaluation, and clean-label product development.
• Strong understanding of GMP, HACCP, food safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Proven experience managing teams, projects, and cross-functional initiatives in a fast paced environment.
• Experience with paleo/keto or specialized dietary products is a strong plus.
• Proficiency with nutritional software, quality systems, spreadsheets, and lab documentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop an R&D team, fostering a culture of innovation, curiosity, and accountability.
• Oversee all aspects of new product development from ideation to commercialization.
• Drive project prioritization, resource allocation, and timelines for launches.
• Lead recipe formulation, costing, ingredient sourcing, and process optimization with compliance.
• Collaborate with nutritionists, QA/QC, and culinary teams to meet nutrition, sensory, and safety standards.
• Evaluate emerging food trends and new ingredients for innovative processing techniques.
• Set strategic vision for product innovation aligned with company goals and market insights.
• Partner with Marketing, Sales, and Brand for launches, packaging, and campaigns.
• Assist with taste panels, consumer testing, and sensory evaluations.

Skills

Food product development

Team leadership

Project management

GMP

HACCP

Regulatory compliance

Flavor development

Sensory evaluation

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical skills

Nutritional software proficiency

Lab documentation

Ingredient functionality

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science

Food Technology

Nutrition

Culinary School Certification

Advanced degree (preferred)

Tools

Spreadsheets

Nutritional software

Quality systems

Job description

• Lead, mentor, and develop an R&D product development team, fostering a culture of innovation, curiosity, and accountability.
• Oversee all aspects of new product development from ideation, recipe creation, pilot production, scale-up, and commercialization.
• Drive project prioritization, resource allocation, and timelines to ensure efficient and successful product launches.
• Lead recipe formulation, costing, ingredient sourcing, and process optimization while maintaining compliance with SQF, USDA, and other certifications.
• Collaborate with nutritionists, QA/QC, and culinary teams to ensure products meet nutritional, sensory, and safety standards.
• Evaluate and implement emerging food trends, new ingredients, and innovative processing techniques.
• Work cross-functionally to set the strategic vision for product innovation, aligning new concepts with company goals, consumer trends, and competitive insights.
• Partner with Marketing, Sales, and Brand teams to support product launches, packaging, development, and marketing campaigns.
• Assist with taste panels, consumer testing, and sensory evaluations to ensure products exceed expectations.
• Serve as the primary R&D liaison for label approvals (GFCO/Paleo/NGPV/USDA) and regulatory compliance.
• Establish and maintain robust R&D processes, documentation standards, and best practices.
• Troubleshoot production issues, monitor consistency and quality, and optimize manufacturing processes.
• Maintain detailed records in recipe/formula systems, ensuring accuracy and reproducibility.
• Other duties as assigned to support the growth and evolution of Kevin’s Natural Foods.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, or Culinary School certification; advanced degree a plus.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in food product development in a manufacturing environment, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Deep knowledge of ingredient functionality, flavor development, sensory evaluation, and clean-label product development.
• Strong understanding of food science principles, GMP, HACCP, food safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Proven experience managing teams, projects, and cross-functional initiatives in a fast paced environment.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
• Experience with paleo/keto or specialized dietary products is a strong plus.
• Proficiency with nutritional software, quality systems, spreadsheets, and lab documentation.

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in food product development, including recipe formulation, ingredient sourcing, and compliance with food safety standards. Proven ability to lead and mentor teams while driving innovation and aligning product strategies with market trends.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Food Product Development
• Recipe Formulation
• Regulatory Compliance
• Project Management
• Team Leadership

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Ingredient Functionality
• Flavor Development
• Sensory Evaluation
• Clean-Label Product Development
• Food Science Principles
• GMP
• HACCP
• Nutritional Software Proficiency
• Quality Systems
• Lab Documentation

Soft Skills

• Analytical Skills
• Organizational Skills

Certifications & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science
• Food Technology
• Nutrition
• Culinary School Certification

Industry Keywords

• SQF
• USDA
• Paleo
• Keto
• Consumer Testing
• Taste Panels
• Cross-Functional Collaboration

Tools & Technologies

• Spreadsheets