Director, Research & Development

Bigelow Tea•Fairfield, CT

4h•Onsite

About The Position

At Bigelow Tea, product is at the heart of everything we do. The Director of Product Development will lead how we bring that commitment to life, evolving our core tea offerings while helping expand into new usage occasions and consumers. This role is responsible for turning ideas into exceptional products, grounded in strong formulation, deep manufacturing understanding, and a relentless focus on quality. Working closely with Marketing, this leader will provide critical product and technical input to shape innovation, while owning the development and scale-up of products. Equally important, this person will build and lead a team that operates with curiosity, accountability, and pride in craft.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, or related field
10–15+ years in product development within CPG, ideally in beverages or adjacent categories
Strong track record of developing and improving products in manufacturing-driven environments
Experience working with both internal manufacturing teams and co-packers

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred
Experience in tea, coffee, or similar categories preferred
You bring both craft and practicality—you care deeply about the product and know how to make it work at scale
You’re as comfortable in a plant as you are in a development lab
You develop people, not just products
You create clarity and accountability without overcomplicating things
You’re energized by the opportunity to build, improve, and elevate

Responsibilities

Lead the development of new and existing products from concept through scale-up, ensuring they meet Bigelow’s high standards for quality, taste, and consistency
Translate innovation briefs into well-developed, technically sound products
Provide practical, experience-based input into product concepts based on feasibility, ingredients, and performance
Ensure every product reflects the Bigelow brand—thoughtful, high-quality, and consumer-focused
Continuously elevate the quality and performance of Bigelow’s core tea bag portfolio
Lead improvements in flavor consistency, ingredient quality, and packaging performance
Identify opportunities to enhance value while protecting the integrity of the product
Bring a hands-on, detail-oriented approach to product excellence
Bring deep manufacturing knowledge into product development decisions from the start
Lead scale-up from bench to production, ensuring products are reliable and repeatable
Partner closely with internal operations and external co-packers to develop products that work in real-world conditions
Lead plant trials and solve problems proactively to ensure strong outcomes
Build, coach, and develop a team of product developers, many early in their careers
Create an environment where people feel ownership of their work and pride in the outcome
Encourage curiosity, experimentation, and continuous improvement
Set clear expectations and hold the team accountable to high standards
Establish clear, effective approaches to product development that balance creativity with discipline
Bring structure and clarity to how work gets done—without slowing momentum
Ensure strong execution across multiple projects, with clear ownership and follow-through
Work closely with Marketing to provide product insight and feasibility input as ideas are shaped
Partner with Supply Chain, Quality, and Regulatory to ensure products are developed responsibly and effectively
Act as the bridge between concept and product reality