Research and Development Project Manager

Mommy's Bliss; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Mommy’s Bliss is seeking an experienced Research & Development Manager to lead innovation and commercialization across our supplement and wellness portfolio. You will own end-to-end development from concept through launch, partnering with external manufacturers to execute scale-up and product improvements.

The ideal candidate combines scientific depth with cross-functional leadership, delivering high-quality products on time while navigating regulatory requirements and cost discipline.

Qualifications

• BS in Food Science or related field required; advanced degree a plus.
• 7+ years in product development for dietary supplements/CPG.
• Strong formulation, stability, and ingredient interaction knowledge.
• Experience with co-manufacturing and tech transfer.
• Proven ability to move products from concept to commercialization.
• Familiarity with FDA, cGMP, labeling, and claims requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development of new products, reformulations, and extensions with external partners.
• Translate consumer insights and brand strategy into differentiated products.
• Own pilot runs, first production, and launches; manage transfers between sites.
• Establish robust specs and processes; ensure batch-to-batch consistency.
• Drive commercialization readiness and stage-gate milestones; manage budgets.

Skills

Product development

Formulation expertise

Co-manufacturing

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Regulatory knowledge

Troubleshooting scale-up

Education

Bachelor's in Food Science or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Mommy’s Bliss is a trusted, mission-driven consumer health company focused on helping families feel better through thoughtfully developed products for babies and kids. Our portfolio spans dietary supplements, OTC, and wellness solutions designed to address real family needs with efficacy, safety, and care.

We are an entrepreneurial, fast-moving organization building the next generation of family wellness products and are looking for leaders who want to make a meaningful impact.

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Research & Development Manager to lead innovation and commercialization and maintain business continuity across our product portfolio. This is a high-impact role for a strong product developer who enjoys turning ideas into winning products and thrives in a fast-paced environment.

You will own end-to-end development of new products, reformulations, and line extensions through external manufacturing partners; from concept through launch through entire lifecycle. This role requires strong formulation expertise, sound technical judgment, and the ability to work effectively through external partners to get things done.

This role is ideal for someone who combines scientific depth with operational discipline and cross-functional leadership, someone who can solve problems, move projects forward, influence partners, and bring high-quality products to market efficiently.

Reports to: SVP, Technical Operations

Location: SF Bay Area

What You’ll Own

• Lead development of new products, reformulations, line extensions, and value-engineering initiatives across supplements and adjacent categories.
• Translate consumer insights, brand strategy, and marketing concepts into feasible, differentiated products.
• Apply deep knowledge of ingredient functionality, stability, sensory performance, and dosage form design.
• Partner closely with co-manufacturers to develop and trial formulas.
• Identify new ingredients, technologies, delivery systems, and suppliers that create competitive advantage.
• Improve existing products for performance, quality, cost, or manufacturability.
• Lead technical execution from concept through pilot runs, first production, and launch.
• Manage formula transfers between manufacturers and production sites.
• Troubleshoot scale-up, processing, quality, and yield issues quickly and effectively.
• Build robust specifications and processes that ensure consistency across batches and sites.
• Drive commercialization readiness and stage-gate milestones to keep launches on track.

Quality & Regulatory Partnership

• Oversee stability testing and shelf-life validation programs.
• Define raw material, in-process, and finished goods specifications with Quality and manufacturing partners.
• Ensure products meet applicable FDA, cGMP, labeling, and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with Regulatory and Marketing to support claims substantiation and product documentation.
• Review technical documents including formulas, specs, batch records, COAs, and change controls.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Impact

• Serve as the key technical point of contact for co-manufacturers, suppliers, and external labs.
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, Brand, Regulatory, and Quality.
• Manage timelines, budgets, priorities, and risks across multiple active projects.
• Lead technical reviews and decision-making forums.
• Develop team members and help elevate R&D capabilities.
• Perform other duties as needed to support business objectives.
• Optimizing organizational design and simplifying processes.

What Success Looks Like

• Successfully launch key innovation and reformulation projects on time.
• Strengthen co-manufacturer technical performance and accountability.
• Improve speed, rigor, and predictability of commercialization processes.
• Identify meaningful cost savings and margin improvement opportunities.
• Raise the technical bar across formulation and project execution.
• Become a trusted cross-functional leader who brings innovative solutions and gets things done.

What We’re Looking For

• BS in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Chemical Engineering, or related field; advanced degree a plus.
• 7+ years of product development experience in dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, OTC, food, or related CPG categories.
• Strong formulation expertise and understanding of ingredient interactions, processing, and stability.
• Proven success developing products through co-manufacturing partners.
• Demonstrated experience taking products from concept through commercialization.
• Strong troubleshooting skills in manufacturing and scale-up environments.
• Experience with tech transfer, alternate sourcing, and multi-site production.
• Experience with multiple formats such as liquids, tablets, gummies, gels, sprays, and topicals.
• Practical knowledge of FDA, cGMP, labeling, and claims requirements.
• Strong business instincts, strategic thinker, cost discipline, and ability to prioritize tradeoffs.
• Strong project management and communication skills with ability to simplify complex technical topics for non-technical audiences.
• Experience developing talent and leading through influence.