Manager - R&D

How You Will Make History Here…

The successful candidate in this role will lead the development of new and improved Ready to Serve (RTS) Soup product designs that meet well-defined business propositions via consumer testing, while managing a small team of product development scientists. This individual will combine hands-on technical expertise in formulation, experimentation, and scale-up with people leadership to deliver innovation, renovation, cost, and quality initiatives from concept through commercialization.

The individual in this role will work independently, must possess an excellent knowledge base of technical principles and experimentation, and must demonstrate creative problem-solving and strong project leadership skills.

What You Will Do…

• Independently develop and manage technical timelines and activities for multiple product development projects and ensure the coordination and execution of projects led by the team.
• Work with Marketing, CCID, and Commercialization Planning to define key milestones and specific R&D activities and timing.
• Lead product development projects from concept to commercialization based on product design criteria and consumer insights, ensuring projects deliver on time, in full, and with technical rigor.
• Work with Process R&D and Engineering to define ingredient handling and blending equipment requirements.
• Lead trials in pilot plant and manufacturing locations to assess feasibility and define finished product specifications that meet consumers’ expectations.
• Support interactions with internal and external manufacturing facilities and suppliers to enable project success.
• Proactively apply scientific knowledge and/or technical skills to business issues and opportunities.
• Identify and define technical design requirements, evaluate research results, and incorporate consumer test results into the formulation of prototypes.
• Develop prototypes that deliver against business objectives, including cost and nutritional targets.
• Perform and direct analysis, testing, and experiments to develop and/or improve products and processes.
• Identify and communicate potential product constraints or risks and problem-solve for solutions.
• Lead the preparation of and provide sound technical guidance, proposals, and recommendations.
• Manage, develop, and engage direct reports, including product development scientists, contractors, and/or co-ops.
• Set clear priorities, delegate work appropriately, and provide coaching, training, and feedback to support the growth and career development of team members.
• Ensure the team is employing scientific rigor and discipline in the development and commercialization process and motivate the team to take ownership and deliver results.
• Partner with the Senior Manager to align resources and prioritize RTS Soup needs across critical interfacing teams, including PDM, Ingredient, and Optiva.
• Work with Marketing and Consumer Insights to identify and build concepts against new products and/or platforms.
• Demonstrate an innovative mindset, command of the innovation process, thought leadership, business strategy, and creative problem-solving.
• Lead awareness of industry developments and pursue ingredient, product, or technology advances for application to new and innovative product initiatives.
• Manage and prioritize projects for self and the team, balancing multiple project initiatives simultaneously and remaining flexible to changing directions and rapid timelines.
• Identify critical path items and risks, troubleshoot issues, remove barriers, and effectively communicate and elevate these to both the business team and management.
• Provide critical thinking and technical product leadership on project direction and drive alignment with key project stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Manage and motivate direct reports to exhibit strong drive and ownership while maintaining personal technical contributions on key projects.
• Work closely with Purchasing on ingredient supply and costing and support key product supplier relationships.
• Work closely with PR&D, Engineering, and Operations to identify, define, and commission new ingredient handling and/or blending equipment.
• Leverage internal and external expertise in resolving technical challenges.
• Work with co-packers, as needed, using effective communication skills and the ability to quickly adapt CSC formulas to their equipment and systems.

Who You Will Work With…

This position is on the Soup & Broth R&D team supporting the RTS Soup portfolio and will report directly to the Senior Manager, R&D, Meals & Beverages, Ready to Serve.

This position requires partnering with Marketing, CCID, Supply Chain, Quality, Packaging, Engineering, Purchasing, Sensory, Regulatory, Operations, Process R&D, Commercialization Planning, internal and external manufacturing facilities, suppliers, and co-packers throughout the development and commercialization process.

What You Bring to the Table… (Must Haves)

• Minimum BS in Food Science, Engineering, or a related field
• 6+ years of experience in food product development and/or food manufacturing.
• Proficient technical R&D expertise in product design, processing technologies, scale-up, and manufacturing. 

It Would Be Great if You Have… (Nice to Haves)

• MS in Food Science or a related field.
• Experience developing and commercializing high- and low-acid products.
• Prior experience leading, coaching, or directly managing scientists, technologists, contractors, and/or co-ops.
• Understanding of the cost and sensory performance drivers of product design, along with knowledge of financials and business acumen, including P&Ls and ingredient costing.
• Strong influencing, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with cross-functional teams and multiple levels of management.
• Comfortable driving decisions, with the ability to delegate tasks to direct reports, contractors, and/or co-ops as appropriate and provide training and feedback as necessary.
• Strong project management, organizational, and documentation skills, with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity, multitask, adapt to change, and persevere on projects with less definition in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to balance multiple project initiatives simultaneously and remain flexible to changing directions and rapid timelines.
• Ability to provide creative problem-solving, critical thinking, technical product leadership, and strong project leadership.
• Ability to work independently and apply scientific rigor and discipline throughout the product development and commercialization process.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid working environment from Camden based office, with ~20-30% expected travel to manufacturing locations.  

• A significant portion of the job is in the thermal production environment; thus, the work exposes the employee to heat and hot food products, coolers, and freezers requiring the use of personal protective equipment.
• Ability to walk/stand up at times for up to ¾ of the workday.
• Physical ability to handle weights of up to approximately forty pounds.  
• Handle allergens including dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, eggs and other food ingredients, chemicals, and allergens while wearing appropriate PPE. 
• Willingness and ability to taste and evaluate a wide range of food products and ingredients.