Associate R&D Manager

Dole Packaged Foods • Westlake Village, CA

19h • Hybrid

About The Position

Dole Packaged Foods is a purpose-led organization focused on accessible fruit nutrition and building a brighter future through the goodness of fruit. The company fosters a respectful, inclusive culture that values colleagues, customers, and global communities, striving for excellence and empowering continuous learning. Integrity and collaboration are key, driving innovation and business success. The Associate Manager supports the R&D team in delivering innovation for volume growth across all channels, contributing to the mission of providing health and nutrition access to over a billion people. Innovations align with beliefs in nutrition (fruit-forward products) and sustainability (consumer-facing packaging by 2030). The innovation funnel includes projects for core product growth and expansion into new "white space" categories. This role offers a hybrid work environment, requiring three days per week in the Westlake Village, CA office.

Requirements

• 2–4 years of experience in R&D, Innovation, Product Development, QA, or similar roles.
• Working knowledge of product development (formulation, ingredient selection, stability testing, etc.).
• Working knowledge of specification writing and management (formulation and packaging).
• Working knowledge of process development (manufacturing capabilities, technologies, equipment selection, contract manufacturing).
• Working knowledge of packaging fundamentals and models, including testing concepts and performance requirements.
• Working knowledge of industry-standard quality systems (e.g., GMP, HACCP, GFSI).
• Exposure to COG development and project-level cost management.
• Demonstrated ability to support delivery of innovation into the marketplace.
• Ability to work cross-functionally across manufacturing, marketing, sales, supply chain, and external partners.
• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Engineering, or science-based equivalent is required.

Nice To Haves

• Passionate about a purpose-driven career.
• Passionate about collaborating respectfully in diverse and inclusive team environments.
• Proactively seeks feedback and continuously improves work quality.
• Consistently adheres to ethical standards and maintains transparency.
• Actively contributes to achieving collective team goals.

Responsibilities

• Support the R&D team in the delivery of the innovation pipeline in partnership with cross-functional teams.
• Manage assigned projects (L0–L3) through the project management / stage gate process, delivering on defined scope, timelines, and objectives.
• Provide technical input on product feasibility, including recommendations for internal (make) versus external (buy) development approaches.
• Support management of third-party product and packaging development partners, where required, to develop, evaluate, and test products.
• Work collaboratively with Procurement to support selection and engagement of appropriate third-party manufacturing partners.
• Support product, process, and packaging development activities, including learning and applying packaging models, testing methodologies, and packaging fundamentals.
• Own project-level COG targets, supporting development of cost assumptions and identifying project-level cost savings opportunities under guidance.
• Support specification development and maintenance for formulations and packaging.
• Contribute to manufacturing trials and support learnings related to formulation, process, and packaging performance.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level