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Slate Milk is one of the fastest-growing beverage companies in the country. As Director of Product and R&D, you will lead the company's top product role, owning how every Slate product tastes, how it's made, what it costs, and whether it meets quality and food safety standards across all SKUs. You will manage two direct reports: the R&D Manager and the QAFS (Quality Assurance & Food Safety) Manager, setting technical direction for formulation, quality systems, and food safety compliance.
Key responsibilities include:
**Taste & Product Excellence:** Own the taste standard for every Slate product through formulation, scale-up, renovation, and cost work. Oversee central location tests (CLTs) and sensory/consumer testing to guide product decisions.
**R&D & Formulation:** Own end-to-end R&D and formulation platform from base recipe development through reformulation and scale-up, setting technical standards and priorities.
**Quality Assurance & Food Safety:** Own Slate's QAFS platform, including HACCP, food safety programs, product certifications, and quality systems.
**Direct People Leadership:** Manage, coach, and develop the R&D Manager and QAFS Manager, setting goals and building capability as the organization scales.
**Dairy & Thermal Processing Expertise:** Serve as senior technical authority on fluid dairy/ultra-filtered milk manufacturing and retort/UHT thermal processing, ensuring commercial sterility and shelf stability.
**Co-Manufacturer Oversight:** Lead technical and quality relationships with co-manufacturers, including process validation, technical transfer, quality audits, and accountability to formulation and food safety standards.
**COGS Improvement:** Drive cost of goods improvements through formulation, ingredient, packaging, and process choices without compromising taste or quality.
**New Product Commercialization:** Partner with Innovation & Commercialization team through R&D and feasibility stage-gates, reviewing formulation feasibility, processing requirements, and food safety implications.
**Regulatory & Compliance:** Own compliance with FDA and applicable food safety regulations, ensuring formulation, labeling, and processing decisions meet requirements.
**Cross-Functional Leadership:** Represent Product, R&D, and Quality across leadership team, partnering with Operations, Supply Chain, Innovation & Commercialization, and Sales/Marketing.
**Budget & Resource Management:** Own R&D and Quality budget, including lab, testing, and co-manufacturer audit resources.
You will report to the Vice President of Operations and work remotely, consistent with Slate's operations team structure. Some travel is required for co-manufacturer site visits, audits, and production trials.
**Requirements:**
- 8+ years of progressive experience in R&D, food science, or quality assurance/food safety in food or beverage manufacturing
- 3+ years of direct people leadership experience
- Hands-on experience with fluid dairy manufacturing (required); ultra-filtered milk experience is a plus
- Hands-on experience with retort or UHT thermal processing (required)
- Hands-on experience managing co-manufacturer relationships, including technical transfer, process validation, and on-site quality oversight (required)
- Experience building, leading, or maintaining formal food safety and quality management systems (HACCP, SQF, BRC, or similar)
- Experience leading or closely partnering on new product commercialization, including formulation feasibility and stage-gate review
- Demonstrated ability to manage and develop managers
- Strong palate and track record of launching or improving products consumers love, including hands-on use of sensory and consumer testing (CLTs)
- Experience driving COGS improvements with supply chain and co-manufacturing partners
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, or related field (advanced degree is a plus)
- Working knowledge of FDA and applicable food safety and labeling regulations
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills
- Comfortable operating in fast-paced startup environment
