R&D Technologist

DUPP - Food Executive Search; Bethesda (MD); Remote; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Rip Van, a fast-growing snack company, is looking for an R&D Technologist to lead co-manufacturer collaboration and product commercialization. This role requires strong technical skills, hands-on experience in food product development, and a proactive, entrepreneurial mindset. Frequent travel to co-manufacturing partners in Southern Europe and North Africa is expected.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in food product development, plant trials, and commercialization.
• Solid understanding of manufacturing processes and food safety.
• Fluent in English; proficiency in an additional European language preferred.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary technical liaison between Rip Van and co-manufacturers.
• Lead product scale-ups and manage daily communication with co-manufacturers.
• Execute plant trials and ensure product quality standards.

Skills

Food product development

Plant trials

Commercialization

Food safety

Quality standards

Strong communicator

Education

BSc/MSc in Food Science

(Bio)Technology or a related field

Job description

• Healthy snacks with low sugar (‘Better For You’).
• Operating internationally with team members and production on multiple continents.
• Widely available through major retailers such as Whole Foods, Costco and Amazon.
• Innovation-oriented with focus on R&D and product development.
• Strong growth ambition to become global leader in healthy snacks.

Rip Van (www.ripvan.com) is a fast-growing, innovation-driven snack company based in New York, founded in 2012. The company specializes in “Better For You” (BFY) sweet snacks with low sugar content. With a fully remote team of around 40 people spread across the U.S., Argentina, and Europe, Rip Van’s team and business is growing even further in the coming years. Their award-winning products are available in 20,000+ locations. This includes Whole Foods, Costco, 7-Eleven, Amazon & the major foodservice GPOs to name a few. Rip Van has established nine manufacturing partnerships across four continents and is set to become the world’s leading BFY sweet snack platform. To accelerate growth, Rip Van is seeking a technically strong and entrepreneurial R&D Technologist to manage co-manufacturer collaboration and ensure the successful commercialization of new products. This role is ideal for a technically skilled food technologist who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. Someone who enjoys variety, international travel, and playing a pivotal role in bringing innovative products to market. This is your opportunity to make real impact at the intersection of innovation and execution.

A highly self-motivated technologist with hands-on experience in co-manufacturing and product development

Functie

• Act as the primary technical liaison between Rip Van and its co-manufacturing partners in Southern Europe and North Africa
• Work hands-on at production sites and lead product scale-ups and technical onboarding
• Execute plant trials and oversee the transition from pilot to full-scale production
• Manage daily communication with co-manufacturers and resolve technical issues
• Ensure products meet Rip Van’s strict quality and specification standards
• Coordinate and supervise first production runs, including approval before shipment
• Support R&D efforts, including ingredient sourcing and formulation improvement
• Participate in weekly co-man calls and internal NPD meetings
• Report to the CEO (U.S. and Europe) and work closely with Rip Van’s product team.

Profiel

• BSc/MSc in Food Science, (Bio)Technology, or a related field
• Proven experience in food product development, plant trials and commercialization
• Solid understanding of manufacturing processes, food safety, and quality standards
• Hands-on, proactive, and entrepreneurial mindset with strong ownership mentality
• Willing and able to travel frequently (25-30%) across Algeria, Spain and France
• Based in Spain (preferably Barcelona), France, or Italy
• Fluent in English; proficiency in an additional European language is preferred
• Personal traits: energetic, results-driven, analytical, flexible, a strong communicator, and eager to work across cultures and teams.