Director, Product Development

Califia Farms, LLC • Shafter, CA

2h • $160,000 - $175,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Product Development will lead innovation and commercialization for Califia Farms portfolio of plant-based beverages, including plant-based milks, creamers, barista, coffees, ready-to-drink beverages, and adjacent platforms. This role is responsible for building and executing a forward-thinking innovation pipeline that delivers exceptional taste, functionality, nutrition, and scalability while aligning with brand positioning and financial targets.
The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in plant-based formulation, beverage processing (including aseptic/UHT), ingredient functionality (proteins, emulsifiers, stabilizers), and commercialization within both entrepreneurial and structured CPG environments.
This position is based at our Bakersfield, CA manufacturing facility.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred
• 15+ years of product development experience in dairy and/or plant-based beverages (foods)
• 5+ years of leadership experience
• Proven track record launching commercialized dairy and/or plant-based beverages at scale
• Deep knowledge of plant protein systems, emulsions, stabilizers, sweeteners, and flavor systems
• Experience with aseptic/UHT processing and co-manufacturing networks
• Strong commercial and margin acumen
• Technical depth in beverage systems
• Agile decision-maker in fast-paced CPG environments
• Cross-functional collaborator
• Data-driven and process-oriented
• Strategic thinker with executional discipline

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience at a large, established CPG company with exposure to structured innovation processes and national-scale commercialization
• Experience in dairy/dairy alternatives (oat, almond, soy, coconut, pea-based systems)
• Familiarity with barista functionality and coffee applications
• Sensory evaluation and consumer testing expertise

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a multi-year innovation roadmap aligned with growth, margin, and brand objectives
• Identify whitespace opportunities across plant-based dairy alternatives, functional beverages, and emerging categories
• Translate consumer insights, sensory trends, and sustainability goals into differentiated product concepts
• Balance breakthrough innovation with renovation, cost optimization, and quality improvement initiatives
• Lead formulation of plant-based milks (oat, almond, soy, coconut, etc.), creamers, and RTD beverages
• Optimize protein systems, emulsification, hydrocolloid stabilization, sweetness systems, and flavor masking
• Ensure products deliver on key functional attributes: foamability, heat stability (for coffee), mouthfeel, shelf stability, and texture
• Drive nutritional targets (e.g., protein content, sugar reduction, fortification) while maintaining superior sensory performance
• Oversee end-to-end stage-gate process from benchtop through pilot plant and commercial production
• Lead scale-up for aseptic/UHT processing, homogenization, HTST, and co-manufacturing environments
• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure manufacturability, ingredient security, and cost targets
• Troubleshoot plant trials, manage first production runs, and resolve stability or quality challenges
• Ensure compliance with FDA regulations, labeling requirements, and claim substantiation (e.g., non-dairy, allergen-free, protein claims)
• Oversee shelf-life validation, packaging compatibility, and quality assurance alignment
• Evaluate emerging plant proteins, clean-label stabilizers, and sustainable ingredient innovations
• Maintain awareness of evolving regulatory and competitive landscape in plant-based beverages
• Partner closely with Marketing, Sales, Finance, Procurement, and Operations to align innovation with business objectives
• Present pipeline updates and commercialization plans to executive leadership
• Support pricing strategy and margin modeling through formulation and ingredient optimization
• Build and mentor a high-performing R&D and beverage development team
• Establish strong documentation practices, formulation databases, and technical standards
• Implement KPIs to track speed to market, cost targets, and innovation revenue contribution
• Foster a culture of curiosity, agility, and continuous improvement

Benefits

• As a full-time employee, you will be eligible to enroll in Califia’s employee benefits program.
• You may also be eligible to participate in the company’s bonus program which may be subject to change.

What This Job Offers

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