Research And Development Manager

Location: Central Illinois

About the role

A growing food manufacturer is seeking an R&D Manager to lead new and existing product development, ingredient selection, process development, and commercialization initiatives. This role will work directly with customers and cross-functional teams to translate product expectations into successful launches while providing technical leadership across formulation, plant trials, sensory evaluation, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer communication to understand product expectations, attributes, and launch timelines.
• Manage product development projects from early-stage innovation through formulation, plant trials, commercialization, and post-launch review.
• Develop and formulate products to achieve targeted taste, texture, nutritional, quality, and cost objectives.
• Lead plant trials and partner cross-functionally to ensure project milestones and successful product launches are achieved.
• Evaluate and approve new ingredients while balancing ingredient functionality, product performance, customer requirements, and food safety standards.
• Conduct sensory evaluations, competitive product assessments, shelf-life testing, and analysis of production samples.
• Provide technical leadership to the R&D team while managing multiple development projects and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.

Requirements

• 7+ years of product development or R&D experience within food manufacturing.
• Strong customer-facing experience with the ability to translate customer needs into successful product development and commercialization.
• Demonstrated experience with food formulation, ingredient functionality, process development, plant trials, and commercialization.
• Strong leadership and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with sensory evaluation, nutritional analysis, food safety standards, and product quality.
• Knowledge of culinary techniques, food costing, and nutrition software is advantageous.

Benefits

• $130-150k base salary
• Performance-based bonus
• Excellent healthcare
• 401(k) with match
• Paid holidays and PTO
• Relocation assistance