Research and Development Manager, Food Innovation and Product Development

University of Arkansas•Springdale, AR

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Food Innovation & Product Development Manager serves as AFIC@MCO's lead technical resource for food innovation, product development, and commercialization. This position works directly with food entrepreneurs, farmers, startups, and established food businesses to transform concepts into safe, scalable, and market-ready products. The successful candidate will provide leadership in product formulation, process development, food safety, commercialization planning, and client consulting. This role serves as the bridge between product development, manufacturing operations, and client success, helping clients navigate the path from idea to commercialization while advancing AFIC@MCO's mission of strengthening the regional food economy. This position reports to the Director of Operations and works closely with AFIC@MCO leadership, processing staff, business development staff and partners, and external stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Food Technology, Culinology, or a closely related field.
Minimum of 5 years of experience in food product development, food manufacturing, commercialization, or a related industry.
Knowledge of food processing, food safety systems, food regulations, and product commercialization.
Experience managing multiple projects and competing priorities.
Strong communication, relationship-building, and client-service skills.
Ability to work collaboratively across technical, operational, and business functions.
Proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or Ph.D. in Food Science or related field.
Certified Research Chef (CRC), Certified Culinary Scientist (CCS), or similar professional credential.
Better Process Control School certification.
Experience with acidified foods, thermal processing, shelf-life studies, and process validation.
Experience working with food entrepreneurs, startups, incubators, innovation centers, or small-scale manufacturers.
Grant writing, program development, or educational outreach experience.
Bilingual or multilingual skills, particularly Spanish or Marshallese.

Responsibilities

Lead development of new food and beverage products from concept through commercialization.
Create and optimize formulations for flavor, texture, functionality, stability, shelf life, and manufacturability.
Conduct bench-top, pilot-scale, and production-scale trials.
Evaluate product feasibility and identify technical challenges early in the development process.
Improve existing formulations for quality, process efficiency, scalability, and cost optimization.
Evaluate ingredients, packaging, and processing options to support successful commercialization.
Translate formulations into scalable manufacturing processes.
Support product scale-up from development through commercial production.
Troubleshoot processing challenges including thermal processing, viscosity, texture, consistency, yield, and product performance.
Develop manufacturing specifications, processing instructions, and production recommendations.
Work collaboratively with processing and operations staff during initial production runs and commercialization activities.
Assess manufacturing feasibility and recommend external manufacturing partners or co-packers when appropriate.
Serve as AFIC@MCO's primary technical advisor for product development clients.
Provide consultation on formulation, ingredients, packaging, food safety, manufacturing, and commercialization strategies.
Assist entrepreneurs and food businesses in understanding technical requirements, development timelines, costs, risks, and opportunities.
Scope, prioritize, and manage multiple client projects simultaneously.
Support client onboarding, project planning, and expectation setting.
Foster strong client relationships and contribute to a positive client experience.
Ensure product formulations comply with applicable food safety and regulatory requirements.
Review ingredient statements, allergen declarations, nutrient analysis, and product claims.
Support shelf-life studies, product testing, process validation, and food safety assessments.
Coordinate with external laboratories, process authorities, and regulatory partners as needed.
Maintain awareness of current food safety regulations, industry standards, and emerging technologies.
Lead and mentor R&D staff, interns, and student employees, as applicable.
Develop and maintain product development procedures, best practices, and documentation systems.
Collaborate with Operations, Processing, Business Development, Extension, and external partners to deliver successful client outcomes.
Support development and growth of AFIC@MCO's product development and commercialization services.
Contribute to grant proposals, technical reports, workshops, and educational programming.
Represent AFIC@MCO at industry events, conferences, partner meetings, and outreach activities.
Evaluate projects for technical feasibility, operational fit, and commercialization potential.
Provide recommendations regarding AFIC@MCO's ability to support specific projects.
Identify opportunities to expand services, strengthen partnerships, and increase client impact.
Support AFIC@MCO's strategic goals related to food entrepreneurship, value-added agriculture, and regional economic development.