Research and Development Manager, Food Innovation and Product Development

University of Arkansas System•Springdale, AR

About The Position

The Food Innovation & Product Development Manager serves as AFIC@MCO’s lead technical resource for food science and technology, food innovation, product development, and commercialization. The position works directly with food entrepreneurs, farmers, startups, and established food businesses to turn concepts into safe, scalable, market-ready products. The manager provides leadership in product formulation, process development, food safety, commercialization planning, and client consulting, bridging product development, manufacturing operations, and client success while advancing AFIC@MCO’s mission of strengthening the regional food economy. The position reports to the Director of Operations and works closely with AFIC@MCO leadership, processing staff, business development staff and partners, and external stakeholders. It includes leadership and mentoring of R&D staff, interns, and student employees, as applicable, and contributes to the growth of AFIC@MCO’s product development and commercialization services.

Requirements

Master’s degree in a related field with at least 4 years of related experience, or a bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, or a closely related field with 8 years of relevant professional experience.
At least 1 year of supervisory or managerial experience.
Experience managing multiple projects and competing priorities.
Strong technical knowledge of food formulation, processing, and commercialization.
Ability to translate complex food science and technology concepts into practical business recommendations.
Excellent project management and organizational skills.
Strong interpersonal, presentation, and consulting abilities.
Ability to assess risk and make sound technical recommendations.
Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
Commitment to customer service, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Candidates may have professional experience as a food scientist, food technologist, product developer, process developer, research chef, or in a comparable food-industry technical role.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. in Food Science or a related field.
At least 5 years of experience in food product development, food manufacturing, commercialization, or a related industry.
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.
Knowledge of food processing, food safety systems, food regulations, and product commercialization.
Strong communication, relationship-building, and client-service skills.
Ability to collaborate across technical, operational, and business functions.

Responsibilities

Lead new food and beverage product development 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 development.
Improve existing formulations for quality, process efficiency, scalability, and cost optimization.
Evaluate ingredients, packaging, and processing options to support commercialization.
Translate formulations into scalable manufacturing processes and support scale-up through commercial production.
Troubleshoot processing challenges involving thermal processing, viscosity, texture, consistency, yield, and product performance.
Develop manufacturing specifications, processing instructions, and production recommendations.
Collaborate 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 the primary technical advisor for product development clients, consulting on formulation, ingredients, packaging, food safety, manufacturing, and commercialization strategies.
Help entrepreneurs and food businesses understand technical requirements, timelines, costs, risks, and opportunities.
Scope, prioritize, and manage multiple client projects; support onboarding, project planning, and expectation setting; and foster strong client relationships.
Ensure formulations comply with applicable food safety and regulatory requirements; review ingredient statements, allergen declarations, nutrient analyses, 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 client outcomes.
Support growth of 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; recommend whether AFIC@MCO can support specific projects.
Identify opportunities to expand services, strengthen partnerships, and increase client impact.
Support strategic goals related to food entrepreneurship, value-added agriculture, and regional economic development.