Product Development Manager - Renovation and Maintenance

EssentialRitual is looking for a Product Development Manager to support renovation and maintenance projects. In this role, you will work on renovation projects to improve customer experience and improve cost and supply chain targets. You will apply your expertise to reformulate by collecting and analyzing data for continuous improvement of existing Ritual products. This role requires collaboration with our contract manufacturers and cross-functional teams like QA, Operations and Brand. Your day-to-day work looks like - leading renovation project efforts with our co-mans, writing specifications and protocols, processing change control for existing documents and reviewing physical product samples to ensure product meets requirements. Someone with a passion for traceability and transparency from formulation to customer communication is highly desirable. This is a great opportunity to join a rapidly expanding organization and take on responsibilities that are key to our continued growth.

What You'll Do:

• Manage continuous improvement projects with internal R&D teams, third party contract manufacturers/formulation labs, and flavor houses.
• Process and analyze data to recommend renovation of existing products to improve customer experience and/or cost improvement. 
• Draft/revise product specifications to ensure product meets highest quality standards and can be manufactured consistently. 
• Be an expert in change control, ingredient qualification requirements and documentation as part of brand maintenance.
• Identify any process gaps and recommend and drive improvements that have cross-functional impact.
• Be an expert in organoleptic and sensory evaluations and lead physical product/360 reviews.
• Lead product review assessment to define success criteria for pilot and production runs.
• Work closely with project leaders, project managers, and operations teams to drive projects to meet cost targets and launch dates. 
• Manage product efficacy testing, utilizing expertise and experience for testing product efficacy, validating claims and developing product specifications.
• Ideally be in the office one day per week. Travel up to 15% of your time to contract sites and  development partners.

Who You Are:

• Organized. Ability to manage communication with contract manufacturers, to stay on top of project expectations and delivery timelines
• Detail Oriented. Likes to get in the weeds when it comes to science and products.
• Analytical. Your decisions are always supported by thoughtful data and support. You have a strong sense of risk management. You are able to develop formula specifications, pilot and stability protocol, sensory programs for the product category. 
• Adaptable. As a company in high-growth mode, our processes, product offerings, and partners are constantly evolving. We need someone who can not only adapt to change but drive it and help the company adapt.
• Empowered. Brings solutions instead of problems. Challenges the status quo. Has the courage to take an unpopular stance.

What You Need:

• Education: BS in Pharmaceutical Science, Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or other related science. 
• Experience: 6+ years product development, formulation chemistry, commercialization, other related science.
• Experience in the nutraceutical and supplement industry is a must.
• Hands-on experience with capsule or tablet or oil encapsulation is a must
• Experience with writing specifications and change control is a must.
• Expertise in developing product specifications, product protocols, risk analysis and product cutting /360 reviews
• Knowledge of evaluating flavors and product sensory evaluation
• Knowledge of ingredient efficacy, raw material qualification programs, cGMP, regulatory affairs, stage-gate processes, consumer insights, and project management. 
• Good to have nutraceutical supplier contacts and ingredient database

Compensation and Benefits:

• PAY RANGE:  97K - 150K
• Your base salary is one part of your total compensation package. The salary range represents the entire compensation range for this position. Exact compensation will depend on a number of factors, which may include the successful candidate's skills, level, years of experience, technical expertise, and other qualifications. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. This role is also eligible for equity + generous benefits + 401k + unlimited PTO etc - see our list of perks/ benefits below. 

Additional Compensation, Benefits and Perks:

• 401k Match - Up to 4%
• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Healthcare & Dependent Care FSA
• 20 Weeks