Senior Manager, Beverage Platform & Innovation

AG1; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% remote (excluding Laboratory posi

Unlimited PTO

Paid holidays

Telecom stipend

Stock options

Job summary

AG1 seeks a Senior Manager, Product Development in the Chicago area to lead end‑to‑end formulation and innovation for new formats and platforms. You will own the platform, drive stage‑gate readiness, and partner with flavor houses and contract manufacturers to scale products from concept to commercialization.

The role demands hands‑on lab work, strong cross‑functional leadership, and a strategic mindset to define formulation direction and prioritization.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of product development experience in the beverage or CPG industry.
• Based in the greater Chicago area.
• B.S. in Food Science or related field; Master’s degree a plus.
• 5+ years as a food scientist with RTD/beverage processing experience.
• Strategic decision‑maker with ownership of formula direction and resourcing decisions.
• Experience representing a function to senior leadership and partnering with contract manufacturers.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development and end‑to‑end innovation for new platforms, from formulation to commercialization.
• Own the Innovation Brief system and ensure its accuracy and evolution.
• Lead desirability, viability, feasibility evaluations for new concepts and prioritization across the pipeline.
• Own readiness at key stages within the Stage-Gate process.
• Drive material and formulation modifications to improve quality, stability, and cost.
• Partner with flavor houses and contract manufacturers to translate formulations to production scale.
• Own sensory and stability validation for all formulations on your platform.
• Develop and improve the platform’s innovation processes (Stage‑gate, Innovation Brief, DVF).
• Collaborate with Manufacturing to align development, pilot, and scale‑up.

Skills

Product development

Food science

Leadership

Strategic decision‑making

Cross‑functional leadership

Lab work

Education

B.S. in Food Science

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

AG1 seeks a Senior Manager, Product Development in the Chicago area to lead end‑to‑end formulation and innovation for new formats and platforms. You will own the platform, drive stage‑gate readiness, and partner with flavor houses and contract manufacturers to scale products from concept to commercialization.

The role demands hands‑on lab work, strong cross‑functional leadership, and a strategic mindset to define formulation direction and prioritization.