SummaryDrive innovation, profitability, and operational excellence across a dynamic food production network. As the Research and Development Value Creation Manager, you will lead the development and commercialization of new products while optimizing existing processes to maximize yield, reduce waste, and enhance overall performance. Serving as a critical link between Research and Development and Operations, you will implement technical solutions that support consumer expectations, operational efficiency, and long-term business growth while partnering closely with cross-functional teams, manufacturing facilities, and co manufacturers to execute value creation strategies and deliver scalable, high impact results. As a technical authority within assigned facilities, you will drive continuous improvement and influence key process and product decisions across the organization. This role is ideal for a strategic, results driven leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment, excels at problem solving and collaboration, and is passionate about transforming ideas into measurable business value.
Principal Essential Duties & Responsibilities- Lead the scale-up of new products with a specific focus on "designed-in" profitability.
- Establish test designs that validate both product quality and process efficiency.
- Identify and execute process improvement opportunities, new technologies, and cost-reduction initiatives to enhance the bottom line of Prepared & Harvest operations.
- Troubleshoot production hurdles that impact yield or efficiency.
- Collect and analyze data to implement sustainable solutions that prevent value leakage.
- Ensure plants adhere to optimized specifications and processes.
- Serve as the key resource for maintaining technical specs that balance manufacturing ease with product integrity.
- Coordinate with R&D, QA, Operations, and CI to resolve complex quality and manufacturing issues.
- Act as a technical liaison for capital projects to ensure new equipment supports value creation goals.
- Manage multiple product/process development projects from concept to plant floor.
- Document results, track project costs, and recommend next steps based on technical and financial viability.
- Collaborate with Regulatory and FSQA to ensure all value-engineered changes (such as ingredient substitutions or process shifts) comply with safety and labeling standards.
- Partner with Procurement to qualify and approve alternate raw materials and ingredients that offer cost advantages while maintaining performance.
Minimum Education and Experience- Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree in Food Science, Meat Science, Chemical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering
- 7+ years of related experience.
- Ability to see where technical adjustments can lead to significant financial gains.
- Proven track record of successful product scale-up and process development in a high-volume food manufacturing environment.
- Strong mastery of SPC, process capability assessments, and data-driven problem solving.
- Demonstrated project management skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams.
- Deep understanding of meat science and the variables that impact yield and throughput.
- Strong communication skills to translate technical "wins" into business value for stakeholders.
Physical Requirements and Environmental Factors- Position is remote with 50-75% of travel to production facilities and pilot plants.
- Must be comfortable working in diverse manufacturing environments hot, cold and wet.
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