R&D Manager (1153588)

The Judge Group; Santa Fe Springs (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

The Judge Group is seeking an experienced R&D Manager to lead product development and formulation projects from concept through commercialization. This hands-on leader oversees the R&D team, drives project execution, provides technical expertise, and partners with Sales, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, and Procurement.

The ideal candidate combines strong formulation and development skills with proven leadership, project management, and customer-facing experience in a manufacturing setting.

Qualifications

• Experience managing R&D projects including new product development and process optimization.
• Hands-on formulation expertise with knowledge of ingredient functionality.
• Serve as primary R&D contact for customers and internal stakeholders.
• Experience tracking and reporting R&D performance metrics.
• Proven leadership in developing and managing technical staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple R&D projects from concept to commercialization.
• Provide technical leadership for formulation development, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Manage tech transfers to manufacturing with proper documentation.
• Supervise R&D personnel through coaching, training, and performance management.
• Partner with Sales and customers on feasibility, timelines and issues.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions related to product concerns.
• Represent R&D in cross-functional project and commercialization meetings.
• Manage stability studies, shelf-life programs, and product specs/documentation.
• Ensure laboratory activities comply with cGMP, HACCP, SQF, and FDA regulations.
• Monitor project timelines, resources, and department performance metrics.

Skills

R&D project leadership

Formulation expertise

Customer liaison

R&D metrics reporting

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering, or related

Job description

Location: Santa Fe Springs, CA

Salary: $140,000.00 USD Annually - $155,000.00 USD Annually

R&D Manager

Position Details

• Position: R&D Manager
• Reports To: VP of R&D
• Direct Reports: R&D Formulators, Lab Supervisor, and Temporary Lab Associates
• Compensation: $140,000 to $155,000 base salary + 10% bonus opportunity
• Schedule: Onsite, Monday through Friday during standard business hours. Occasional Saturday work may be required to support project timelines.

Required Qualifications

• Experience managing R&D projects, including new product development, process optimization, cost reduction initiatives, and raw material evaluations.
• Hands-on formulation expertise with strong knowledge of ingredient functionality, troubleshooting, and prototype development.
• Ability to serve as the primary R&D contact for customers and internal stakeholders, providing technical guidance and project updates.
• Experience tracking and reporting R&D performance metrics, including project delivery, laboratory capacity, throughput, and technical transfer success.
• Proven leadership experience developing and managing technical staff through training, coaching, and mentoring.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual in Spanish and English.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced R&D Manager to lead product development and formulation projects from concept through commercialization. This hands‑on leadership role is responsible for overseeing the R&D team, driving project execution, providing technical expertise, and partnering with cross‑functional teams including Sales, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, and Procurement.

The ideal candidate combines strong formulation and product development expertise with proven leadership, project management, and customer‑facing experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead multiple R&D projects, including new product development, formulation optimization, cost reduction initiatives, and raw material evaluations from concept through commercialization.
• Provide technical leadership for formulation development, ingredient selection, troubleshooting, experimental design, prototype development, sensory evaluation, and pilot‑scale testing.
• Manage technical transfers to manufacturing and ensure products are production-ready with complete and accurate documentation.
• Supervise and develop R&D personnel through coaching, training, performance management, and workload planning.
• Partner with Sales and customers on product feasibility assessments, formulation development, technical inquiries, project timelines, and issue resolution.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions related to formulation, processing, equipment, and technical product concerns.
• Represent R&D in cross‑functional project and commercialization meetings.
• Manage stability studies, shelf‑life programs, product specifications, standard operating procedures, and technical documentation.
• Ensure laboratory activities comply with applicable quality, safety, and regulatory requirements, including cGMP, HACCP, SQF, and relevant FDA regulations.
• Monitor project timelines, resource allocation, laboratory capacity, and departmental performance metrics.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve R&D effectiveness through digital tools, automation, AI‑enabled processes, and enhanced reporting capabilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
• 5+ years of product development, formulation, or R&D experience in a manufacturing environment.
• 2+ years of experience leading or supervising technical, laboratory, or R&D teams.
• Strong hands‑on formulation and product development experience.
• Working knowledge of cGMP, HACCP, SQF, and applicable FDA regulations.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent projects and priorities.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, leadership, and problem‑solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing products such as soft chews, bars, dragées, pan-coated products, or similar consumer packaged goods.
• Customer‑facing technical experience, including presentations, project reviews, and issue resolution.
• Experience supporting NSF, USP, Informed Sport, or comparable quality certification programs.
• SQF Practitioner, PCQI, HACCP, or related certifications.
• Formal project management or technical leadership training.Bilingual (Spanish/English).

Work Environment

This is a full‑time, onsite leadership position in a laboratory and manufacturing environment. The role requires collaboration across multiple departments and active participation in product development, scale‑up, and commercialization activities. Occasional schedule flexibility may be required to support project and production needs.

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision available