R&D Manager - Food CPG

Our client is a rapidly growing frozen food manufacturer with a strong portfolio of established consumer brands and significant in‑house manufacturing capabilities. The organization is known for its innovation, operational excellence, and commitment to delivering high‑quality frozen products to retail and foodservice channels nationwide. Position Overview The Core Brands R&D Manager will lead product renovation, optimization, and incremental innovation initiatives across a portfolio of established frozen food brands. This individual will play a critical role in improving product quality, driving cost savings, supporting commercialization efforts, and maintaining consistency across manufacturing operations. The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise in frozen food systems, ingredient functionality, and commercialization within a high‑volume CPG manufacturing environment. This role requires strong cross‑functional collaboration with Operations, Quality, Marketing, Procurement, and Supply Chain teams to ensure successful execution of projects from concept through plant implementation. Key Responsibilities Product Development & Optimization Lead reformulation and continuous improvement initiatives for existing frozen food products focused on taste, texture, nutrition, shelf life, and cost optimization Drive line extensions and incremental innovation efforts within established brand portfolios Conduct bench‑top development, pilot plant trials, and commercialization support for frozen products Ensure consistency across manufacturing plants, co‑manufacturers, and production lines Support seamless product launches and plant startups in partnership with Operations teams Frozen Food Technical Expertise Apply expertise in frozen food processing technologies including IQF and blast freezing systems Optimize formulations to reduce freezer burn, ice crystal formation, texture degradation, and reheating inconsistencies Evaluate ingredient functionality under frozen storage and thermal processing conditions Troubleshoot product and process challenges within manufacturing environments Cross‑Functional Collaboration Partner closely with Marketing, Operations, Quality, Procurement, and Supply Chain teams to execute business objectives Translate consumer insights and market trends into product improvements and innovation opportunities Support customer, retailer, and commercialization requirements across core product lines Cost Optimization & Value Engineering Identify and implement cost‑saving initiatives through ingredient optimization, yield improvement, and process efficiencies Support value engineering projects while maintaining product quality and brand integrity Analyze formulation and production costs to recommend optimization strategies Compliance & Project Management Ensure products meet all FDA, USDA, food safety, and internal quality standards Support shelf‑life studies, product testing, and validation activities Manage multiple R&D projects simultaneously while maintaining timelines and milestone accountability Lead cross‑functional project teams and communicate updates to leadership Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or related technical field 7+ years of food R&D experience within frozen food manufacturing Strong background supporting established/core product lines within CPG environments Experience commercializing products from bench development through full‑scale production Deep understanding of frozen food systems, ingredient interactions, and processing technologies Experience with frozen entrees, ready meals, vegetables, snacks, or related categories preferred Strong project management, analytical, and problem‑solving capabilities Ability to balance product quality, speed‑to‑market, and cost considerations in decision‑making Excellent communication and cross‑functional leadership skills Preferred Background Frozen meals / entrees Multi‑plant manufacturing support USDA/FDA regulated food manufacturing Commercialization and plant startup support Value engineering and cost reduction initiatives Consumer packaged goods (CPG) experience #J-18808-Ljbffr Hunter the Headhunter