R&D and Commercialization Manager (Meat Snacks)

6+ years of experience in meat snack manufacturing, product development, or food science specifically focused on meat products (jerky, sticks, bars, etc.). Bachelor’s degree in Meat Science, Food Science, or a related field; advanced degree preferred. Strong understanding of USDA/FDA regulatory compliance, food safety principles (HACCP/HARPC), and GMPs specific to meat product processing. Proven success working with co-manufacturers/co-packers and leading technical scale-up. Experience in formula creation, process development, and managing production trials. Excellent project management and cross-functional communication skills. Comfortable in a lean, high-growth environment. Ability to balance high-level strategy with hands-on execution. Strong organizational systems and bias for action. Willingness to travel frequently for site visits, production trials, and audits.

Owns the Meat Snacking Product suite, including all SKUs. Drives product development of new SKUs and line extensions from concept to launch. Leads product improvement initiatives for existing SKUs, focusing on sensory attributes, shelf stability, and cost optimization. Develops and maintains specifications, formulas, and processing parameters for all meat snack products. Supports R&D by working with manufacturing development prototypes in lab and pilot settings. Leads building supply chains in regenerative agriculture. Plans and executes all production trials, ensuring successful scale-up. Serves as the primary technical point of contact for co-manufacturing relationships. Oversees the transition from R&D to first production, including packaging review and labeling accuracy. Collaborates with the QA team to ensure compliance with food safety and regulatory standards. Develops repeatable processes that accelerate concept-to-launch timelines. Serves as the day-to-day point of contact for co-manufacturers. Travels onsite frequently for production runs, quality audits, troubleshooting, and relationship building. Drives accountability on documentation, batch accuracy, and adherence to specs. Identifies opportunities to streamline quality processes, reduce waste, and enhance product quality and safety.