Senior R&D Manager, Technical Innovation

Chobani•Twin Falls, ID

1d•$121,000 - $190,300•Onsite

About The Position

Our Research and Development department is on the forefront of product development and innovation. The Senior Manager, Technical Innovation will steer our Fresh Dairy and ESL innovation platforms and the pilot plant capabilities that power them — setting direction for what the innovation system can make, measure, and prove; upgrading the spaces and equipment it runs on; and modeling its capacity and output so leadership can make informed decisions about demand, priorities, staffing, and capital. The pilot plant serves R&D scientists, research communities, engineering, operations, and commercial partners who compete for the same finite equipment and labor; this leader designs the operating model, investment roadmap, and analytical frameworks that absorb that complexity, working through the operating team rather than in the day-to-day. We are looking for a candidate who is equal parts innovation strategist, engineer, and systems designer to help Chobani advance its mission of making healthy and delicious foods.

Requirements

Minimum Bachelors of Science or Engineering (Masters preferred) in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical/Mechanical/Industrial Engineering, Dairy Science, or related degree, or equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
10+ years of food industry experience required, dairy and/or dairy alternatives preferred, including 5+ years in people management; pilot-plant, scale-up, or R&D-operations leadership strongly preferred.
Track record steering innovation platforms or portfolios — fresh dairy, ESL/aseptic, or adjacent categories — from concept through pilot proof to commercialization.
Deep technical command of dairy/food process unit operations — pasteurization (HTST/ESL), homogenization, separation/filtration (UF), fermentation/maturation, and aseptic or hygienic packaging — sufficient to set direction and challenge trade-offs credibly.
Demonstrated command of food safety and quality systems (HACCP, GMP, allergen and sanitation controls) and equipment calibration/validation, exercised at a governance and audit-readiness level.
Proven capacity, throughput, and output modeling and data-driven decision-making; fluency translating operational data into staffing and capital recommendations that hold up in executive review.
Continuous-improvement credentials (Lean/Six Sigma/TPM) with a track record of measurable results delivered through teams.
Working fluency with data and modeling tools (spreadsheet modeling, SQL/BI dashboards) and comfort partnering with data engineers; familiarity with automation/controls (PLC/SCADA, MES) preferred.
Comfortable with ambiguity and energized by the process of building something from the ground up; innate curiosity for understanding complex food systems and operations.
Champion a clean & safe manufacturing environment within all facilities.
Excellent written and verbal communication; able to communicate with scientists, engineers, operators, data teams, and executives alike.
Must be a self-starter able to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple projects/tasks at the same time.

Responsibilities

Set the innovation capabilities agenda and scope for the Fresh Dairy and ESL platforms — steering the portfolio from concept through pilot proof and scale-up, and aligning technical direction with commercial priorities and category strategy.
Steward pilot plant capabilities as a strategic asset: own the capability roadmap across the full process estate — HTST, homogenization, KDB-3, UF separation, ESL and ESL infusion, maturation, Goavec reactor, automation upgrades, vacuum cooker, batching, and filling — and decide where to add, upgrade, or retire equipment and processes.
Lead through the operating team: direct the supervisors and leads who run day-to-day pilot operations, sample fulfillment, and laboratory testing, holding the system accountable for safe, on-time, in-specification output without owning floor-level execution.
Own capacity and staffing modeling for the innovation system: maintain the empirically grounded model built from weekly shift-report productivity data, translate R&D and commercial sample demand into FTE requirements, equipment utilization, and constraint analysis, and present defensible staffing and capital scenarios to leadership.
Model innovation output, not just plant activity — request-to-sample cycle times, trial throughput, shelf-life program yield, and cost per project — so leadership can see the productivity of the innovation system and where investment moves it.
Lead space upgrades and capital-improvement projects — facility redesign, equipment relocation, and space optimization — balancing walking paths, utilities, hygienic zoning, and structural constraints, and carrying layout decisions through executive approval.
Identify and relieve structural bottlenecks — the ESL line and cup sealer behave as serial physical constraints — distinguishing labor-elastic work from equipment-bound work and directing capital, scheduling policy, and process redesign accordingly.
Set the operating model — intake rules, prioritization frameworks, and governed data pipelines, designed with engineering, automation, and data partners — so competing requests from R&D, commercial, and research communities are sequenced against real equipment and labor availability and a high-variability facility behaves predictably.
Hold governance accountability for food safety, quality, GMP, and regulatory compliance and a zero-injury safety culture, ensuring standards, audit readiness, and corrective-action ownership sit clearly within the operating team.
Institutionalize Lean, Six Sigma, and TPM as a management system: set targets for changeover time, cycle time, rework, and waste, review results, and protect the flexibility a prototyping environment requires.
Govern external analytical laboratory and carrier relationships and their spend, with per-project attribution and service-level accountability for sample and shipment fulfillment.
Build organizational capability: develop supervisors, leads, and senior technical staff, design the structure, cross-training, and succession behind the pilot operation, and communicate capacity, risk, and investment needs up through R&D Directors, Vice Presidents, and Executive Leadership team members.

Benefits

medical
dental
vision coverage
disability insurance
health savings account
flexible spending accounts
tuition reimbursement
401k match of 100% on up to 5% of eligible pay
fertility and childcare assistance
12 weeks of parental leave at full pay after six months of continuous employment
employee assistance program
fitness discounts
wellness reimbursement
on-site gym access (certain locations)
monthly wellness newsletter
120 hours of paid time off
11 holidays
paid volunteer time off