Director Product Research & Development

Responsibilities

• Support product research and commercialization initiatives.
• Collaborate with a diverse array of stakeholders, including universities within the dairy research network, academic researchers, the U.S. Dairy Export Council, the Wellness & Innovation team, and industry partners.
• Contribute to strain evaluation, fermentation process development, analytical characterization, and scale-up activities spanning laboratory through pilot-scale systems.
• Design, execute, and analyze microbial fermentation experiments supporting ingredient, food, and biotechnology innovation initiatives.
• Support development and optimization of fermentation processes including media optimization, process parameter evaluation, and scale-up activities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including food scientists, process engineers, analytical scientists, and external partners.
• Perform data analysis, interpret experimental results, and communicate findings through technical reports and presentations.
• Maintain accurate experimental records and contribute to intellectual property, publications, and technical documentation as appropriate.
• Stay informed on emerging technologies and trends in precision fermentation, biotechnology, and sustainable food systems.
• Assist in the development, management, and execution of plans to commercialize research derived from DMI-funded programs.
• Work closely with university researchers to ensure scalability of research projects.
• Facilitate research scalability and support commercialization efforts by actively engaging in hands-on activities within pilot plants, including process optimization and recipe development.
• Contribute to identifying partners for scaling research from benchtop to pilot production, collaborating to optimize processes and ingredients.
• Engage in ingredient scale-up and product launch initiatives by working closely with customers and DMI partners.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, including dairy farmers, wellness and innovation teams, the U.S. Dairy Export Council, and dairy industry partners, as well as international partners, to support research opportunity identification.
• Gather input from stakeholders, including dairy farmers, DMI business units, regional organizations, dairy processors and suppliers, universities, and government bodies.
• Aid in the preparation of product research funding proposals and presentations for potential partners.
• Assist in designing and implementing targeted product research projects at universities and research laboratories.
• Monitor progress through the review of scientific and financial reports, manuscripts, abstracts, publications, and other outputs.
• Manage intellectual property assets associated with product research.
• Work closely with the research center director to advance DMI's dairy foods research strategy.
• Communicate key research outcomes to farmers, staff, and member units to support strategic planning.
• Provide technical insights and facilitate the translation of research into actionable strategies to enhance the global competitiveness of U.S. dairy products.
• Assist in ensuring that program outcomes are communicated effectively to stakeholders.
• Execute and activate product research programs, including the development and dissemination of communication plans.
• Packaging research findings to facilitate technology transfer and activation by industry partners.
• Present research findings and technical information at scientific conferences and trade meetings.
• Advocate for scientific research supporting dairy products by representing the dairy industry at scientific forums and reviewing communications for technical accuracy.

Qualifications

• PhD in Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Synthetic Biology, Molecular Biology, or related field with 2-3 years of relevant experience.
• Relevant industry experience in R&D, and commercialization of food or dairy products and ingredients.
• Knowledge, skills, and abilities including advanced skills in collaboration, technical communication, and effective presentation, coupled with the ability to work cohesively with diverse teams.
• Expertise in research design, statistical analysis, and interpretation of scientific findings, paired with strategic thinking and business acumen.
• A strong work ethic, integrity, and a commitment to representing farmer values are essential attributes for this role.