Research & Development Manager

Description

King’s Command is seeking a qualified candidate to lead our Research & Development team at our facility located in Versailles, OH. The Research & Development (R&D) Manager is responsible for leading the R&D team in new product development, testing, commercialization, least cost formulation, and process improvement activities.

The R&D Manager will work closely with Sales, Customers, Operations, Quality Assurance / Food Safety, Supply Chain Management, and Finance on product-development projects from initial customer concept through full-scale commercialization and optimization of existing products that improve product performance and provide cost savings while maintaining compliance with food safety and regulatory requirements.

This is a hands-on leadership position requiring strong technical knowledge of meat science, ingredient functionality, further-processing methods, and commercial food manufacturing.

Requirements

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

New Product Development & Formulation

• •Lead the development of new products from initial concept through commercialization.
• •Develop and modify formulations based on customer requirements, product specifications, processing capabilities, nutritional targets, and cost objectives.
• •Develop customer samples and prototypes for evaluation and approval.
• •Develop products that achieve desired flavor, texture, appearance, cook characteristics, yield, and shelf life.
• •Lead the transition of products from laboratory or pilot development into full-scale commercial production.

· Ensure finalized formulas, specifications, processing instructions, and product standards are accurately documented and communicated.

Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory Compliance

• •Work closely with Quality Assurance/Food Safety to ensure new and modified products meet regulatory and customer requirements.
• •Assist with the development and review of product specifications, ingredient statements, nutritional information, allergen declarations, processing requirements, and labeling information.
• •Ensure appropriate testing and validation are completed for new products and significant formulation or process changes.
• •Maintain accurate R&D records and documentation to support regulatory, customer, and internal requirements.

Product Improvement / Cost Reduction

• •Work with Operations and Procurement to optimize raw material utilization while maintaining product quality and customer specifications.
• •Identify opportunities to reduce formulation costs without negatively affecting quality, food safety, regulatory compliance, or customer expectations.
• •Assist in establishing yield standards for new and existing products.
• •Participate in continuous improvement initiatives related to yield, waste, rework, throughput, and product consistency.

R&D Leadership

• •Lead and develop R&D personnel, including R&D Technicians, Product Developers, and other technical staff, as applicable.
• •Establish priorities for R&D projects based on customer and business needs.
• •Assign projects and monitor progress against established timelines.
• •Establish consistent R&D procedures and documentation practices.
• •Maintain confidentiality and appropriate controls over proprietary formulas, customer information, and intellectual property.

Education & Experience

Required

• •Bachelor's degree in Meat Science, Food Science, Food Technology, or a related technical discipline.
• •Minimum 3-5 years of progressive R&D / product-development experience.
• •Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.

Preferred

• •Direct experience with meat, poultry, or protein further processing.
• •Previous R&D leadership or management experience.
• •Experience with USDA-regulated manufacturing facilities.
• •HACCP certification.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• •Strong knowledge of meat science, ingredient functionality, commercial meat processing equipment and practices.
• •Demonstrated experience with commercial product development and commercialization.
• •Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• •Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing with production employees, senior leadership, customers, suppliers, and technical professionals.
• •Ability to work independently while leading cross-functional projects.
• •Hands-on experience conducting plant trials and scaling products from bench or pilot development into full production.
• •Strong attention to detail and documentation.
• •Strong understanding of yield and the financial impact of formulations and processing decisions.