Food Research and Development Supervisor

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

·         Reporting to General Manager the R&D Manager serves as a project and product champion, managing a balanced product portfolio across the team.

·         Ensures new customer projects align with company capabilities and strategic goals.

·         Collaborates with Sales, QA, and Operations to define project scope, customer needs, and deliverables.

·         Oversees the development and commercialization of new products, line extensions, and product improvements.

·         Leads the complete product development lifecycle: conceptual development, formulation, process validation, scale-up, and continuous improvement.

·         Ensures all product development activities comply with SQF 9th Edition requirements, including food safety, allergen management, and documentation standards.

·         Mentors team members, reviews project outcomes, and approves next steps in the development process.

·         Ensures cost optimization, nutritional adequacy, and customer satisfaction in all product formulations.

·         Develops and implements procedures that align with SQF guidelines, including validation and verification of food safety controls in product and process design.

·         Reviews product formulations to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements for labeling, nutritional claims, and allergen management.

·         Partners with the QA team to address product non-conformance incidents and implement preventive measures.

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Initials: _________

Collaborate with suppliers to evaluate raw materials for safety, quality, and consistency.

·         Supports formula transfer between facilities, evaluating process parameters and supply chain efficiency.

·         Partners with operations to optimize critical control points and ensure process repeatability.

·         Leads process evaluation testing to ensure products meet food safety and quality standards during production scale-up.

·         Develops and maintains comprehensive records, including specifications, risk assessments, and validation reports.

·         Ensures proper documentation for all R&D projects as required by SQF, FDA, USDA, and other regulatory bodies.

·         Creates detailed final project reports to communicate results and improvements effectively.

·         Directs, supervises, and develops team members, fostering a positive and productive work environment.

·         Collaborates with HR for recruitment, performance management, and training to ensure the team’s capabilities align with company goals.

·         Encourages continuous learning and ensures all team members understand and comply with SQF principles.

·         Customer Focus: Builds strong relationships and delivers solutions that exceed expectations.

·         Business Insight: Applies knowledge of the food industry to drive innovation and competitive advantage.

·         Cultivates Innovation: Develops creative solutions and brings them to market successfully.

·         Manages Complexity: Analyzes problems holistically and makes informed decisions