R&D Manager

Komplet; Town of Islip (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Abel & Schafer, part of the Komplet family, is recruiting a Research & Development Manager to lead bread and pastry R&D projects and drive new product ideas and concepts from our North American operations.

You will manage cross-functional teams with Marketing, Quality, Operations, and Regulatory, develop formulations, oversee pilot runs and documentation, and ensure timely delivery while upholding our standards for NAFTA, clean label, and food safety.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred or higher in Bakery Science or related field.
• Master Baker or Pastry chef certification is desired.
• 5+ years in bakery product formulation.
• 5+ years of leadership experience.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Strong project management and ability to prioritize multiple activities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Willingness to travel as required.
• English language proficiency; Spanish and/or German a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead bread and pastry R&D projects and drive new product ideas and concepts.
• Develop formulations, recipes, and product documentation.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Sales, Quality, Operations, Engineering, and Regulatory.
• Evaluate ingredients and processes with emphasis on clean label and NA F N A C concepts.
• Oversee pilot lab runs, consumer tests, plant trials, and validation studies.
• Generate project labels and supporting documentation for lab samples.
• Participate in Food Safety Team meetings and ensure timely delivery of projects.

Job description

At Abel & Schafer, we’re dedicated to excellence in baking ingredients and solutions. For over 80 years, our company has been a trusted name in the baking industry, committed to delivering high-quality products and innovative solutions that make a difference for our customers. We value our employees and the unique talents they bring to the table, fostering an environment where passion for quality and commitment to service drive our success.

Global Reach, Local Impact

As part of the global Komplet family, we bring a wealth of knowledge and resources while staying true to our local roots in North America. Join us to make a meaningful impact in the baking industry with a company that values quality, tradition, and innovation.

For almost 130 years, Abel & Schafer has been producing baked goods in Europe under the KOMPLET brand name. In 1982 the company established a manufacturing facility in Ronkonkoma, NY to serve the fast-growing markets of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central/South America, and the Caribbean. To support our continuous growth in these markets, we are currently recruiting a Research & Development Manager who will take full responsibility over all bread and pastry R&D projects and take the lead in developing new product ideas and concepts.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Manage all bread and pastry R&D projects.
• Develop product (re)formulations and recipes.
• Develop strong cross-functional relationships with the R&D community as well as with Marketing, Sales, Quality, Operations, Engineering, Regulatory, and others.
• Evaluate new ingredients, materials, products and processes with an emphasis on NAFNAC and clean label solutions.
• Execute pilot lab runs, consumer tests, plant trials and validation trials.
• Prepare operating guidelines for product development and ensure a proper documentation flow.
• Generate recipes and supporting documentation for lab samples, such as sample request forms and project labels.
• Participate in resolution of complaints and QA cases.
• Generate re-work recipes when necessary.
• Lead special projects concerning products, processes, equipment, and facility concepts and design.
• Generate Signum Projects and project labels.
• Participate in Food Safety Team meetings.
• Manage time effectively and deliver projects on time and in full.

Qualification:

• B.S. degree in Bakery Science, Food Sciences, Food Engineering, or related scientific field.
• Master Baker or Pastry chef certification.
• 5+ years’ experience in formulation of bakery products.
• 5+ years leadership experience.
• Excellent organizational and communication (written and oral) skills.
• Excellent project management skills with ability to prioritize multiple activities simultaneously.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Willing to travel as required.
• Language skills: English; knowledge of Spanish and/or German a plus.