Director of Technical Services

A growing food manufacturing organization is seeking a hands-on technical leader to guide its product development and quality functions. This position is heavily focused on R&D, with responsibility for leading new products from early concept and formulation through trials, scale-up, commercialization, and ongoing improvement. Key Responsibilities Lead the company’s R&D strategy, product innovation, and technical priorities Manage the full product development lifecycle, from concept through successful commercialization Provide hands-on support with formulation, testing, production trials, troubleshooting, and scale-up Translate customer needs and market opportunities into commercially viable product solutions Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and other internal teams Lead, mentor, and develop a small technical and quality support team Maintain effective quality systems and ensure compliance with applicable food safety and regulatory standards Serve as the organization’s SQF practitioner and oversee the continued effectiveness of the SQF program Establish meaningful performance measures and promote continuous improvement Ideal Background Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Nutrition, or a related discipline 10 or more years of progressive experience within food product development, R&D, or technical services Proven success developing and commercializing liquid food products Strong knowledge of formulation, manufacturing trials, scale-up, packaging, and processing equipment Working knowledge of food safety, quality systems, regulatory requirements, and SQF A collaborative, practical leadership style with the willingness to remain involved in the work Strong communication, problem-solving, and cross-functional partnership skills This is primarily an onsite leadership position with limited work-from-home flexibility following the initial training period. Candidates should also be able to lift to 40 pounds when supporting product trials or technical activities.