Director, Beverage Application & Process Research

The Coca-Cola Company • Atlanta, GA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Director, Beverage Application and process research is a key leadership role within Flavor & Ingredient Research and Application (FIRA) and Research to Experimentation (RtE). This position is responsible for leading process research and beverage applications across different ingredient and flavor teams, to identify and develop new processes in partnership with GDI’s process innovation team to ensure that the right process technologies are selected, developed, and applied to deliver robust beverage performance from early research through commercial readiness. Working closely with GDI (Global Development and Innovation), Technical Innovation & Supply Chain (TISC), and process innovation partners, the candidate will bridge science, application, and scalable manufacturing technologies to accelerate impactful innovation. The role involves shaping the future beverage application research agenda to meet consumer, customer, and regulation needs, driving short-, mid-, and long-term growth and ensuring our license to operate. It requires providing inspirational thought leadership to inform global flavor and ingredient research and application strategy and influencing industry, academia, and research institutes to develop relevant technologies and tools (including AI/ML tools) to further scientific advances. The Director will partner with internal stakeholders across RTE, R&D, technical functions (including Scientific & Regulatory Affairs), marketing, and category leadership to align strategy and execution on sweetener system application, and influence external stakeholders—including suppliers, universities, and technology partners for joint-development. This includes building compelling business cases to secure investment and organizational buy-in. The position also demands implementing structured processes for early-stage experimentation through commercial delivery, maintaining clear routines to track milestones, budgets, and success metrics, and communicating progress and achievements to senior leadership across the organization. The ideal candidate is a Strategic Thinker, capable of envisioning future possibilities and integrating science, consumer insights, and business priorities; possesses Influence & Business Acumen to shape and implement strategic agendas across the Coca-Cola system, while influencing industry standards; is an Agile Innovator comfortable taking calculated risks and pivoting based on market and science-led opportunities; an Inspiring People Leader with proven ability to lead, build, and motivate global teams; and a Connector with a strong ability to bring stakeholders together across functions, geographies, and disciplines.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Science, or related field.
• 10+ years' experience in beverage processing, application, and scaleup, with demonstrated leadership across research and applied innovation environments.
• Proven ability to influence without authority across research, supply chain, and innovation organizations.
• Deep understanding of beverage systems, ingredient functionality, and process-driven performance outcomes.
• Track record of translating research into commercially scalable solutions.
• Strategic thinker with hands-on problem-solving capability and a passion for advancing technical innovation.
• Deep understanding of system economics, value chains, risk management, and mitigation, coupled with an agile and iterative mindset.
• Proficient in project management principles, with the ability to apply these principles to plan, manage, or execute projects ensuring completion within set timelines and budgets.
• Strong communication skills and the capacity to influence and align with senior-level stakeholders internally within Coca-Cola and externally across the system.
• Knowledgeable of latest AI/ML and molecular discovery technologies and tools.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage senior leaders, external partners, and technical teams effectively.
• Deep expertise in one of the scientific fields such as food science, chemical engineering, and material science.
• Knowledge of regulatory framework for ingredient approval and use globally.
• Industry network and external collaboration experience.
• Digital fluency.
• All applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis and must not require The Coca-Cola Company's sponsorship to continue to work legally in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree (PhD, MS, or equivalent experience) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop beverage applications for sweetener, flavor, and functional innovations.
• Evaluate different beverage process technologies in beverage application development, recommend and select the optimal and scalable technology.
• Monitor new external process technologies, identify relevant technology to enhance our beverage application, especially to deliver functional benefits and taste superiority.
• Partner with GDI process innovation team to develop or adopt the technology for scale up in the Coca-Cola System.
• Identify and update the skills and competencies of the team and collaborators to leverage the latest external technologies and digital tools for research and development.
• Build foundation beverage application knowledge and competencies.
• Provide The Center of Excellence on beverage application.
• Shape the future beverage application research agenda to meet consumer, customer, and regulation needs, drive short-, mid-, and long-term growth and ensure our license to operate.
• Provide inspirational thought leadership to inform flavor and ingredient research and application strategy globally.
• Influence industry, academia, and research institutes to develop relevant technologies and tools (including AI/ML tools) to further scientific advances.
• Partner with internal stakeholders across RTE, R&D, technical functions (including Scientific & Regulatory Affairs), marketing, and category leadership to align strategy and execution on sweetener system application.
• Influence external stakeholders—including suppliers, universities, and technology partners for joint-development.
• Build compelling business cases to secure investment and organizational buy-in.
• Implement structured processes for early-stage experimentation through commercial delivery.
• Maintain clear routines to track milestones, budgets, and success metrics.
• Communicate progress and achievements to senior leadership across the organization.

Benefits

• Provide the opportunity to shape next generation beverage process and application capabilities.
• Offer a collaborative, global environment that values scientific excellence and bold innovation.
• Support professional growth through leadership opportunities and exposure to enterprise level impact.
• A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered.
• Support the financial and personal well-being of our employees.
• Empower each and every one of our employees across the globe to prioritize their career development by building capabilities, developing new skills, and leaning into new experiences.

What This Job Offers

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