Director of Research Development

About This Role

Lead recipe, ingredient, and product development for a commercial baking company, translating concepts into scalable, food-safe production. This role works closely with Operations, Quality, Sales, and Customers to drive product ideation, duplication, and commercialization.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and commercialization of new bakery products
• Conduct research and development related to ingredients, formulations, processes, and finished baked goods
• Support national and local sales initiatives with product development expertise
• Prepare and evaluate prototypes using pilot lab and manufacturing environments
• Select, evaluate, and approve raw materials from qualified suppliers
• Design experiments, evaluate results, and recommend improvements
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, QA, Engineering, Purchasing, Sales, and Marketing
• Maintain accurate formulas, specifications, and R&D documentation
• Work with external labs, ingredient suppliers, and vendors to provide technical support

Requirements

• Commercial baking or food manufacturing R&D experience
• Strong knowledge of baking ingredients, formulations, and processes
• Experience bringing products from concept to commercialization
• Comfortable working in a manufacturing environment
• Strong documentation, organization, and cross-functional communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent required
• Experience in commercial baking or food manufacturing R&D.

Nice to Have

• Continuing education in baking, ingredients, labeling, or food science