Product Development and Commercialization Manager with Darigold Inc. (Seattle, WA):
Lead technical components of new product development and commercialization projects by coordinating activities for a cross-functional team. Manage artwork routing and approval and serve as a point of contact for all stakeholders in the process. Oversee product specifications in the product data hub and ensure accurate bills of material for existing and new items. Direct item setup and activation in the product lifecycle management software. Coordinate plant trials and provide technical guidance for scale-up and commercialization of new products. Design and administer pilot and consumer testing with outside test facilities and present test results to the cross-functional team. Serve as the company’s technical contact on co-manufacturing projects. Collaborate with purchasing and external ingredient vendors to select raw materials for a given product. Present iterative prototypes and concepts to business team members and make technical recommendations to meet project objectives. Identify and advise on new and innovative technical solutions and product ideas to the broader organization. Support cost savings initiatives through ingredient, product, and process optimization. Provide technical support to the sales and marketing group and troubleshooting support at the plant level. Work with operations and quality control teams to test benchtop formulas in production lines and finalize the formula for commercialization. Travel is required domestically 20% of the time.
Requires a Bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent in Food Science, Food Safety and Technology, or a related field. Requires 5 years of progressive, post-Bachelor’s experience. Must have some experience in each of the following skills: Development of multiple product categories, including fresh milk, extended shelf life milk, aseptic milk, ready-to-drink high protein beverages, and butter; Ingredient application and flavoring systems, hydrocolloids, antimicrobial systems, colors, probiotics, cultures, fermentation, enzymes, sweeteners, vitamins, proteins, and fats; Dairy foods and fluid milk-related processes, including HTST pasteurization, and UP and UHT processing; Management of technical functions, including sensory programs, shelf-life testing, label legal claims, product specifications, product and packaging improvements, and nutritional labeling; Product scale up in a manufacturing environment; Benchmarking market products for physical, chemical, and sensory attributes; Consumer acceptance testing during product development using central location testing combined with statistical analysis; and Access information, analyze data, and solve problems using MS Project, Oracle, Genesis, and statistical tools, including XLSTAT and SAP.
Benefits Of Working At DarigoldWe understand that as an employee, benefits that support you and your family in and out of work are important. We’re proud to offer eligible positions a competitive total rewards package – that includes:

• Employer 401K contribution of up to 9%
• Comprehensive medical, dental & vision benefits
• Employer paid life & disability coverage.
• Paid Holidays: Combination of 10 designated holidays and personal floating days
• Paid time off: based on number of years of previous applicable experience
• Sick time accrued per pay period: Tier 1 PTO= 14 days (accrued 4.67 hours per pay period), Tier 2 PTO= 19 days (accrued 6.33 hours per pay period), Tier 3 PTO= 24 days (accrues 8 hours per pay period). Annual Carry-Over Limit= 120 hours, or 15 days
• 8 weeks paid parental leave.
• Education assistance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible working arrangement where applies (up to 2 days/week after initial 90 days and approval by hiring manager and HR)
• Community giving through matching donations.
• Access to great dairy products & participation in our employee butter purchase program
• Annual compensation range: $103,730 - $136,743
• Relocation offered if approved
• Sponsorship offered if approved