Sr. Manager, Research & Development

Kinder's • Walnut Creek, CA

2d • $150,000 - $165,000

About The Position

At Kinder’s, we’re passionate about creating food that brings people together. The Senior Manager, Research & Development will be responsible for leading the development and execution of new and improved products across retail, club, and foodservice channels. This role will drive product formulation, process development, and innovation from concept through commercialization, ensuring every product meets Kinder’s high standards for taste, quality, and scalability.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a hands-on leadership role in a growing, values-driven food brand — partnering cross-functionally to deliver consumer-loved innovation that fuels Kinder’s continued success.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in food product development, with at least 3+ years in a people or project leadership role.
• Proven success in CPG innovation; sauces, seasonings, or condiments experience preferred.
• Strong technical knowledge of formulation, ingredient functionality, sensory evaluation, and scale-up.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Effective communicator and collaborator across multiple functions and levels.
• Passion for great food and consumer-driven innovation.
• MUST BE ABLE TO TRAVEL UP TO 25%

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end product development process — from concept ideation to launch — ensuring alignment with brand priorities, timelines, and cost objectives.
• Identify and execute opportunities for innovation, renovation, and cost optimization across Kinder’s portfolio, leveraging emerging ingredients, technologies, and process improvements.
• Partner closely with Operations, Marketing, Culinary, and Supply Chain to translate consumer insights into technically feasible, scalable, and commercially viable products.
• Lead formulation work, pilot plant trials, and production scale-ups to ensure robust transfer from bench to manufacturing.
• Troubleshoot issues and optimize for quality and consistency.
• Manage multiple projects concurrently, ensuring milestones, deliverables, and communication are clear and on track.
• Maintain visibility to leadership through status updates and documentation.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance and Regulatory teams to ensure product compliance with ingredient standards, labeling requirements, and nutritional accuracy.
• Mentor and develop junior food scientists and technicians, fostering a culture of collaboration, curiosity, and accountability within the R&D team.

Benefits

• We offer a range of total rewards that may include paid time off, 401k, bonus / incentive eligibility, equity grants, competitive health benefits, and other family-friendly benefits, including parental leave.
• Kinder’s benefits vary based on eligibility and can be reviewed in more detail during the interview process.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level