Research and Development Manager

Baking a Better Future

Champion Foods, a pizza trailblazer, is expanding, and we're looking for dynamic talents to enhance our innovative and quality-driven team. We produce products cherished by families nationwide and pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to quality, and a warm workplace culture that feels like family. If you're passionate, eager to grow, and want to work for a company that values each voice and champions personal development, your next career adventure starts here. Join us, and let's craft great things together, one delicious slice at a time.

Your Mission:

Take the lead in research, design, and recommendation of new products resulting from Concept to Market meetings, customer requests, or management direction.  Work with research sciences, operations, and other resources to assess product feasibility, costs, and revenue potential in the market.  Define product specifications for product development initiatives that meet or exceed all product requirements, regulatory standards, including but not limited to Federal Drug Administration (FDA), Global Food Safety Initiatives (GFSI), USDA, or other quality and food safety requirements.   This position will operate under minimal supervision from management and have discretion to adjust formulas, product evaluations, or other variables during the development phase.  This position will directly supervise the Food Technicians

What You’ll Do:

•Identify opportunities for new product ideas and competitive market advantages

•Develop and maintain formulation strategies for existing and new product development

•Improve product quality or cost by modifying formulations of current products

•Create and manage experimental and developmental tests, and manage approved specifications

•Provide leadership to product testing pilots, including quality, cost, feasibility, and production potential of all new products.

•Creation of nutritional labels and labeling strategies. Also, maintain proofing standards according to the FDA’s specifications

•Work with vendors, suppliers, and customers to understand product specifications, ingredient quality, and identify any cost savings opportunities

•Work with cross-functional teams to deliver projects for top and bottom-line growth.

•Travel to customers, vendors, and other production sites as needed.

What You’ll Bring

•Bachelor’s degree in food science, biology, microbiology, chemistry, or related field

•Minimum of four (4) years’ experience in product development or research

•Passion for food! You should have creative, new, trendy ideas for tasty products!

•Experience/ knowledge of food production in a manufacturing setting.

•Preference for experience managing a product development from cradle to grave in a manufacturing environment.

•In-depth knowledge of requirements for nutritional data and regulatory requirements, including:

• •USDA

• •FDA

• •BRC

• •AIB

• •HACCP

•Strong problem-solving skills

•Strong communication skills, including the ability to present technical information to a variety of audiences. Demonstrated strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with both internal and external contacts.

•Evidence of computer proficiency

Where You'll Work:

• Food manufacturing environment.

All items listed above are illustrative and not comprehensive.  They are not contractual in nature and are subject to change at the discretion of Champion Foods LLC.

Champion Foods LLC is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to that i