Senior Beverage R&D & Innovation Leader

The Kraft Heinz Company; Glenview (IL); Hybrid; USD 142,000 - 177,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

The Kraft Heinz Company in Glenview, IL is hiring an R&D Lead for Hydration Beverages. Based at the Glenview Innovation Center, the role combines strategic development with hands-on leadership across North America.

The position requires a strong technical background, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to translate insights into actionable product opportunities. It follows a hybrid schedule with travel up to 20%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field (Food Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering) with extensive relevant experience.
• Experience leading R&D product development and commercialization in a cross-functional setting.
• Strong understanding of ingredient functionality and design of experiments.

Responsibilities

• Lead R&D category strategy for Hydration Beverages (Capri Sun, Kool-Aid, Mio) across North America.
• Oversee budgeting, resource planning, and project timelines.
• Translate research and consumer insights into actionable product opportunities.
• Guide testing, data analysis, and documentation to enable commercialization.
• Ensure product quality, food safety, regulatory compliance, and speed to market.
• Develop and coach team members and foster a collaborative culture.

Skills

R&D leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Technical coaching

Bev product development

Data interpretation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science/ Chemistry/ Chemical Engineering

Master’s degree (advantage)

Job description

The Kraft Heinz Company in Glenview, IL is hiring an R&D Lead for Hydration Beverages. Based at the Glenview Innovation Center, the role combines strategic development with hands-on leadership across North America.

The position requires a strong technical background, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to translate insights into actionable product opportunities. It follows a hybrid schedule with travel up to 20%.