R&D Manager (Food Product Development)

Trident Seafoods•Seattle, WA

15h•Onsite

About The Position

Trident Seafoods is North America's largest vertically integrated seafood harvesting and processing company. The Manager, Research and Development (R&D) – Battered, Breaded, and Formed Products is a senior technical leader responsible for owning both the execution and future direction of product development, optimization, and technical commercialization within assigned product categories. This role ensures strong alignment with Trident’s strategic and commercial objectives while maintaining a high standard of technical excellence and regulatory compliance. In this capacity, the position leads a robust pipeline of innovation, renovation, and product extension initiatives. It requires close collaboration with cross-functional partners across Operations, Quality Assurance, Sales, Marketing, and Procurement to deliver scalable, efficient, and high-quality products. Additionally, the role partners closely with Product Management to define clear product requirements and success criteria, ensuring R&D efforts are focused on well-defined, high-impact opportunities. The role also oversees plant trials and first production runs, ensuring successful execution from concept through commercialization. It is responsible for shaping and managing a category-specific innovation roadmap, bringing deep expertise in coating systems, functional ingredients, and protein systems to drive product differentiation and performance. Beyond execution, the Manager plays a key role in mentoring and developing R&D talent within the category. The position also leads and contributes to longer-term research initiatives that support innovation platforms and expand future product capabilities.

Requirements

A minimum of 7 years of R&D experience in product development and food manufacturing with extensive experience with value-added protein-based products.
A bachelor’s degree in food science, food technology, or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and years of experience.
A minimum of 2 years of people management experience.
Strong technical skills in formulation, sensory and commercialization.

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree in food science or related field.
Experience working with protein-based products or high-moisture substrates and coating systems.
Familiarity with BRC, HACCP, allergen controls, and manufacturing QA procedures.
Experience with cost modeling, yield optimization, and process improvement.
Strong supplier relationship experience and strong knowledge of functional ingredients, coating systems and protein-based materials, ingredient interactions.
Strong knowledge of processing technologies and manufacturing processes.
Demonstrated success leading commercialization in a manufacturing environment, including plant trials and scale-up.
Advanced knowledge of food laws, regulatory compliance, labeling requirements, and food safety standards.
Strong data interpretation and experimental design capabilities.
Strong expertise in sensory evaluation, root-cause analysis, and product troubleshooting.
Proven ability to work effectively with Operations, QA, Engineering, Sales, and Marketing.
Ability to translate commercial needs into technical solutions and operational actions.

Responsibilities

Owns end-to-end development of all assigned products from concept through commercialization, driving both near-term commercialization and long-term innovation platforms.
Leads early-stage concepting and feasibility work, translating insights into clearly defined research and development paths.
Provides direction and guidance to R&D direct reports, elevating team capabilities through coaching and technical rigor.
Oversees the creation, refinement, and optimization of formulations and product specifications.
Ensures product quality, sensory attributes, regulatory alignment, operational feasibility, and cost targets are met.
Manages the R&D pipeline for the assigned product category, setting priorities and guiding project timelines, resourcing, and execution.
Operates as a senior project leader, ensuring strong documentation, data-driven decision-making, and completion of all R&D requirements for commercialization.
Leads plant trials and 1st production runs, coordinating with Operations, QA, Engineering, and Production teams to validate new formulations, processing conditions, yields, and scale-up parameters.
Troubleshoots manufacturing and quality issues related to coatings, texture, color, adhesion, moisture migration, raw materials, protein-based systems, and line performance.
Partners with process engineers to improve line efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance product consistency.
Partners closely with cross-functional partners, including Product managers, Sales and Marketing to define project scope, align on customer needs, and develop customer-facing samples or technical solutions.
Partners with external partners and Procurement to evaluate new ingredients, coating systems, functional components, and cost-optimization opportunities.
Provides technical leadership during customer presentations, cuttings, audits, and plant visits.
Identifies and leads innovation pipeline for assigned product categories, identifying emerging technologies, equipment capabilities, and long-term trend-driven opportunities, translating consumer, customer and operational insights into commercially viable products.
Acts as a subject matter expert in food systems in the assigned product platforms.
Regularly works onsite to build strong team connections, collaborate across functions, and solve problems in real time.