Director Of Research And Development - Flavor

The Director of R&D will lead innovation, product development, and optimization efforts for a growing food and beverage organization. This role is highly customer‑facing and will work closely with major accounts, internal teams, and cross‑functional partners to bring new products and flavors to market. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on technical leader with deep experience in beverage development, natural ingredients, and flavor applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead innovation, product creation, and development for large customers and national chains.
• Drive end‑to‑end product development, partnering directly with customers and internal teams.
• Serve as the primary customer‑facing contact for product inquiries, specifications, and new concept ideation.
• Support quality control testing and collaborate closely with QC teams.
• Work alongside one Food Scientist to manage all R&D activities, including new flavors and product lines.
• Support FDA audits and ensure compliance with all food safety and regulatory standards.
• Oversee formulation, testing, scale‑up, and commercialization of new products.
• Develop and maintain accurate product specifications, documentation, and labeling.
• Improve ingredient sourcing, cost efficiency, and production processes.
• Manage a fast‑paced R&D pipeline with multiple concurrent projects.

Required Skills & Expertise

• R&D leadership within food and beverage
• Beverage manufacturing and formulation
• Food science and food manufacturing
• Flavor applications and flavor development
• Strong understanding of natural ingredients and product functionality

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Food Science or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of R&D experience in the food & beverage industry.
• Strong focus on beverage development; open to candidates with experience in sweets, flavors, or natural ingredient‑based frozen products (e.g., ice pops).
• Knowledge of flavor applications and formulation systems.
• Experience with FDA compliance, especially for juices and fruit concentrates.
• Background working with large customers and national chains.
• Proven track record in product development and innovation.

If you are interested, please send your resume to alitorres@actalentservices. com

This is a Permanent position based out of Clifton, NJ.

The pay range for this position is $170000.00 - $175000.00/yr.

Annual salary annual bonuses based on company performance. 401K with matching program after 1 year of employment. Paid bank holidays, 10 days vacation 5 days sick leave. Open to relocation benefits.

This is a fully onsite position in Clifton,NJ.

This position is anticipated to close on May 1, 2026.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:

• Hiring diverse talent
• Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
• Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
• Ensuring growth opportunities for our people

Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we’ve helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC—with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000 extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.

Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.

Salary : $170,000 - $175,000