Senior R&D Lead – Soft & Chewy Pet Snacks

The J.M. Smucker Company; Cleveland (OH); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The J.M. Smucker Company is seeking a Manager, Pet Research & Development to lead a hybrid team of product developers and engineers focused on Soft & Chewy Dog Snacks in Orrville, OH.

This role drives formulation and processing development from study request through launch. You will translate needs into objectives, oversee development and qualification, and collaborate across packaging, quality, regulatory, finance, and operations to deliver innovative products with strong business impact.

Qualifications

• Minimum requirements: BS, MS or Ph.D in Food Science, Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in R&D or Technical Services in the Food Industry.
• Experience in Extrusion, Baking, or Dehydration processes.
• Strong collaboration skills and experience partnering internally and externally.
• Ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of R&D product developers and process engineers at various levels to deliver and launch new product initiatives.
• Translate consumers', customers', and projects' needs to objectives, learning plan and success criteria.
• Build, coach, and support the development of direct reports on technologies, tools, methods, and approaches for formulation and process development, validation and qualification.
• Leverage mastery of Food Science and Food Processing technologies to influence, inform & guide projects and business partners.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships within Pet R&D and with cross-functional partners (Packaging, Analytical, Quality, Co-man, Operations, TSO, Brand, Innovation, Regulatory/Legal, Finance, etc).
• Understand Pet R&D and Enterprise-wide strategy to anticipate challenges and proactively develop mitigation plans to address.
• Determine priorities, define the work, manage resource allocation, and set expectations for team members to deliver against the business and Pet R&D objectives.
• Take ownership of decisions and broad implications. Appropriately challenge decisions and take calculated risks within own decision-making authority to improve performance.

Skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decision making

Education

BS, MS or Ph.D in Food Science, Engineering, or related field

Job description

The J.M. Smucker Company is seeking a Manager, Pet Research & Development to lead a hybrid team of product developers and engineers focused on Soft & Chewy Dog Snacks in Orrville, OH.

This role drives formulation and processing development from study request through launch. You will translate needs into objectives, oversee development and qualification, and collaborate across packaging, quality, regulatory, finance, and operations to deliver innovative products with strong business impact.