Director Of Research And Development

JOB SUMMARY:

As the Director of Research and Development at Urban Farmer, you will play a pivotal role in driving our product development strategy and leading the R&D team’s efforts to develop/launch new products, optimize manufacturing processes and identify/execute cost savings initiatives. You will lead a dynamic team of food scientists, chefs, and researchers in

creating new pizza concepts, optimizing existing recipes, and implementing innovative production methods. Your vision, expertise, and leadership will be instrumental in maintaining our position as an industry leader in the pizza manufacturing sector.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Product Development: Lead the end-to-end product development process, from ideation

to commercialization, to create new and exciting pizza products and expand our recently launch frozen snacks portfolio.

This includes designing recipes, selecting ingredients, and optimizing

production processes.

Innovation: Stay abreast of industry trends, consumer preferences, and emerging technologies to identify opportunities for innovation. Proactively propose and develop new pizza product concepts.

Quality Assurance: Ensure all pizza products meet rigorous quality and safety standards. Develop and implement quality control processes and work closely with production teams

to maintain consistency.

Cost Optimization: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to manage product cost without compromising quality, identifying opportunities for cost reduction through ingredient sourcing and production efficiency improvements.

Team Leadership: Build and manage a high-performing R&D team, including chefs, food scientists, and technicians. Provide mentorship, guidance, and professional development to team members.

Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with marketing, operations, procurement and sales teams, as well as external business partners, to align R&D efforts with business goals and market demands.  Coordinate efforts across the functions, leveraging tools and processes, to ensure initiatives meet customer expectations within desired timelines and costs.

Regulatory Compliance: Stay up-to-date with food safety and labeling regulations and ensure that all pizza products comply with local and international regulations.

Budget Management: Develop and manage the R&D budget effectively, ensuring cost-effective utilization of resources.

Reporting and Analysis: Provide regular reports and analysis on R&D activities, product performance, and market trends to senior management.

Follow and enforce all company policies and procedures.

Other responsibilities as assigned by Management.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Food Science, Culinary Arts, or a related field.
• Extensive experience in food product development, preferably in the pizza or related food manufacturing industry. 
• Experience managing 3rd party development agencies is a plus.
• Strong leadership and team management skills. Exceptional culinary and food science knowledge.
• Proven track record of successfully launching new products and optimizing product costs
• Knowledge of food safety regulations and quality control processes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Budget management experience is a plus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Standing and Walking: While the majority of the work is office-based and managerial, there may be occasions when the Director of R&D needs to visit production facilities, test kitchens, or suppliers' locations. This may involve standing, walking, and occasionally moving around within these environments.

Lifting and Carrying: There may be instances where the Director of R&D needs to lift and carry samples of ingredients or food products for testing, evaluation, or presentation purposes.

These items are usually not heavy, but some lifting may be required.     

Sensory Evaluation: As part of the job, the Director of R&D may be involved in sensory evaluations of food products. This involves using the senses (taste, smell, texture, appearance) to assess the quality of food items, which can be physically demanding on the

palate and senses.

Travel: Depending on the company's operations and locations, the Director of R&D may need to travel for meetings, visits to suppliers, or participation in industry events. Travel can be physically demanding due to sitting for extended periods during flights or long drives.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: This position works in a manufacturing environment with variable

temperature and loud noises from machinery and equipment alarms. 

Why Urban Farmer?

Pizza Innovation: We're pioneers in crafting mouthwatering pizza creations that delight taste buds everywhere. Who knew veggie-crust pizzas could be this good? Well, we did. We’ve been making vegetable-infused gluten-free crusts and pizza for years. By infusing vegetables into the crust as the primary ingredient, we not only make each pizza perfectly seasoned and brimming with taste, but we also create light airy crusts that are actually good for you.

It all started way back in 1948…
…back when we had an honest-to-goodness working farm on the outskirts of the bustling metropolis of Chicago. As one of the largest specialty vegetable farms in the Midwest, we worked the land, bringing fresh produce to market. And even though we’ve grown out of that first urban farm, we haven’t forgotten what it means to be an Urban Farmer. It means working with honesty, integrity and a dedication to providing the freshest products.