Director of Research Development

Keeps Nature’s path on the leading edge of new product development by:

• Leading all product development projects from concept to market launch.
• Develops and champions the strategic development of technology road maps for ingredients/formulas/products that leads to future competitive differentiation.
• Researching new and current raw materials and applications.
• Develops and manages external technical relationships with suppliers and other open innovation partners to advance external technologies with mutual business benefits and competitive differentiation.
• Directs and manages the performance and provides leadership and technical guidance to staff to deliver on project and department goals.
• Develops and implements programs to improve efficiencies, speed and quality of responses for external partnerships. Communicates status of external initiatives to executive management on a regular basis.
• Participate in sales and product demonstration presentations to customers.

Ensures operational standards for quality, cost, lean manufacture, food safety and sustainability by:

• Driving cost containment and quality standards of ingredients by researching vendors adoptions.
• Leading and participating in the creation of new product run documentation and costing, including processing parameters, ingredient specifications and cost, nutritional information and disposition of final product.
• Working with Operations and R&D team to optimize run parameters.
• Managing ongoing product shelf-life testing of all new and revised products
• Participating in operational meetings to ensure documentation and review of pre- and post- new product runs.
• Develops, communicates and manages internal and external budgets.

Plays a key role in the assurance of customer satisfaction with quality, consistent products by:

• Leading R&D group and collaborating with key stakeholders in determining optimal final
• product specifications for new product development.
• Ensuring new product data in entered into Genesis database for creation of new product
• packaging.
• Ensuring consistent and timely updates of current recipes into appropriate databases.
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of all legal requirements for packaging change.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Respect for or experience in the whole health/natural organics industry desirable.
• Approx.10 years: Product Development, Research & Development experience - From Concept to Commercialization.
• Cereal extrusion and baking experience desirable.
• Knowledge in food chemistry and statistical analysis as used in designing experiments and measuring process capabilities.

This opportunity pays between $160,000-$215,000 depending on experience.

Thank you for considering Natures Path!