Senior Manager, Technical Innovation — Pilot-Scale R&D

Chobani; Twin Falls (ID); On-site; USD 121,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k match

Tuition reimbursement

On-site gym access

Parental leave

Wellness programs

Job summary

Chobani seeks a Senior Manager, Technical Innovation to steer Fresh Dairy and ESL platforms and pilot plant capabilities, guiding the innovation system from concept to scale-up. You will lead the operating model, capacity planning, and investment roadmap, partnering with R&D, engineering, and commercial teams to deliver scalable, compliant, and high-impact innovations.

This role requires 10+ years in the food industry, strong technical fluency, Lean/Six Sigma/TPM credentials, and ability to work

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical/Mechanical/Industrial Engineering, Dairy Science, or related field.
• 10+ years in food industry, with 5+ years in people management; pilot-plant/scale-up/R&D operations leadership preferred.
• Track record steering innovation platforms from concept through pilot proof to commercialization.

Responsibilities

• Set the innovation capabilities agenda for Fresh Dairy and ESL platforms and align technical direction with commercial priorities.
• Steward pilot plant capabilities and decide where to add or retire equipment and processes.
• Lead supervisors and leads to run day-to-day pilot operations, ensuring safe, on-time, in-spec output.
• Model capacity, staffing, and capital scenarios; translate demand into FTE requirements and equipment utilization.
• Model innovation output (cycle times, trial throughput, cost per project) for leadership review.
• Oversee space upgrades, capital projects, and governance for food safety, GMP, and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Innovation strategy

People management

Data-driven decisions

Lean Six Sigma TPM

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Process modeling

Automation familiarity

Education

Bachelors of Science or Engineering

Masters preferred

Tools

SQL/BI dashboards

PLC/SCADA

MES

Job description

Chobani seeks a Senior Manager, Technical Innovation to steer Fresh Dairy and ESL platforms and pilot plant capabilities, guiding the innovation system from concept to scale-up. You will lead the operating model, capacity planning, and investment roadmap, partnering with R&D, engineering, and commercial teams to deliver scalable, compliant, and high-impact innovations.

This role requires 10+ years in the food industry, strong technical fluency, Lean/Six Sigma/TPM credentials, and ability to work