R&D Manager

Jobtailor; Viola (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

GoMacro is seeking a senior leader to guide a high-performing team of Food Scientists and R&D Technicians in Wisconsin. You will set priorities, allocate resources, and advance technical capabilities across formulation, processing, and documentation to drive products from concept to market readiness.

You will own product formulation, ingredient functionality, and manufacturing readiness while ensuring quality, cost, and brand alignment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• 7+ years in food product development, R&D, or commercialization support.
• 3+ years of people leadership with high-performing teams.
• Experience leading cross-functional development from concept to commercialization.
• Experience developing products for commercial food manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of formulation, ingredient functionality, and processing.
• Ability to translate consumer/business needs into viable technical solutions.
• Willingness to travel up to 50%.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of Food Scientists and R&D Technicians.
• Establish team priorities and allocate resources to support business objectives.
• Develop team capabilities and strengthen GoMacro’s technical expertise.
• Lead development of products from concept through readiness for commercialization.
• Own formulation, ingredient functionality, process development, and technical documentation.
• Ensure products meet quality, cost, manufacturability, and brand objectives.
• Partner with Commercialization & External Manufacturing on readiness and knowledge transfer.
• Establish and improve R&D processes, governance, and decision-making.
• Build systems for collaboration, visibility, and accountability across functions.
• Travel to manufacturing facilities, external partners, and industry events.

Skills

Food product development

Technical operations leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Formulation and ingredient function

Continuous improvement

Coaching and development

Effective communication

Organizational skills

Influencing without authority

Growth mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Product Development, Engineering, or a related field

Tools

Process Development

Technical Documentation

Quality Systems

Regulatory Requirements

Product Lifecycle Management

Project Management

Job description

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of Food Scientists and R&D Technicians
• Establish team priorities and allocate resources to support business objectives
• Develop team capabilities and strengthen GoMacro’s technical expertise
• Lead technical development and continuous improvement of products from concept through technical readiness for commercialization
• Own product formulation, ingredient functionality, process development, packaging technical requirements, product specifications, and technical documentation
• Ensure products meet consumer expectations, quality, cost, technical feasibility, manufacturability, and brand promise objectives
• Partner with the Commercialization & External Manufacturing Manager on technical readiness and knowledge transfer
• Establish and improve R&D processes, standards, operating systems, documentation, governance, and decision-making practices
• Build systems that improve collaboration, visibility, and accountability across cross-functional teams
• Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Marketing, Innovation, FSQA, Procurement, Commercialization, Project Management, and other teams
• Translate business and consumer needs into scalable technical solutions
• Identify technical and commercialization risks and develop mitigation strategies
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives involving product quality, ingredient performance, manufacturability, and consumer experience
• Monitor product performance throughout the lifecycle and identify improvements to quality, cost, consistency, and technical capability
• Lead technical investigations related to formulation, ingredients, processing, and product performance
• Stay informed of emerging ingredients, technologies, consumer trends, and industry best practices
• Measure and improve R&D performance, project execution, organizational capability, and cross-functional partnerships
• Travel to manufacturing facilities, external manufacturing partners, suppliers, and industry events

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Product Development, Engineering, or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in food product development, research & development, commercialization support, or technical operations within the food manufacturing industry
• 3+ years of people leadership experience with demonstrated success coaching, developing, and building high-performing technical teams
• Experience leading cross-functional product development initiatives from concept through technical readiness for commercialization
• Experience developing products for commercial food manufacturing
• Strong understanding of formulation, ingredient functionality, process development, and manufacturing operations
• Experience establishing or improving technical processes, standards, documentation, and ways of working with an R&D organization is preferred
• Strong knowledge of food science, ingredient functionality, formulation, processing, and manufacturing principles
• Ability to translate consumer and business needs into commercially viable technical solutions
• Experience balancing product quality, cost, manufacturability, and brand expectations
• Understanding of product lifecycle management, continuous improvement, and technical problem-solving
• Experience developing technical documentation, specifications, manufacturing instructions, and validation protocols
• Knowledge of food safety, quality systems, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices
• Ability to build collaborative relationships and influence cross-functional teams without direct authority
• Ability to identify risks, evaluate options, and provide practical recommendations
• Strong business acumen and ability to balance technical excellence with speed, cost, scalability, and organizational priorities
• Excellent project leadership, prioritization, and organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously
• Effective communication skills for translating complex technical concepts into clear business recommendations
• Passion for developing people and creating an inclusive, accountable, high-performing team culture
• Growth mindset and commitment to continuous improvement, learning, and organizational development
• Demonstrated ownership, accountability, and sound decision-making in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to travel up to 50%
• Preference for local candidates, but not required

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in food product development, technical operations, and team leadership, with a strong focus on formulation, ingredient functionality, and continuous improvement. Capable of translating consumer needs into scalable technical solutions while ensuring product quality and manufacturability.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Food Product Development
• Technical Operations Leadership
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Formulation and Ingredient Functionality
• Continuous Improvement Initiatives

Hard Skills

• Food Science
• Product Development
• Process Development
• Technical Documentation
• Manufacturing Operations
• Product Lifecycle Management
• Quality Systems
• Regulatory Requirements
• Technical Problem-Solving
• Project Management

Soft Skills

• Coaching and Development
• Effective Communication
• Organizational Skills
• Influencing Without Authority
• Growth Mindset

Industry Keywords

• Food Manufacturing
• Consumer Trends
• Ingredient Functionality
• Technical Readiness
• Collaboration
• Accountability
• Risk Management
• Continuous Improvement
• High-Performing Teams
• Business Acumen