Sr. Research & Development Manager

Pressed•Culver City, CA

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Research & Development is a hands-on product development leader responsible for translating consumer insights, brand strategy, and innovation concepts into scalable, high-quality products within Pressed’s clean-label standards (no natural flavors, additives, or preservatives). This is a high-impact role for a builder who combines creativity, technical rigor, and operational pragmatism, and who works collaboratively with internal teams. Based in our on-site R&D lab at Pressed’s Head Quarter, the Senior Manager, Research & Development leads prototype development, testing, and technical validation across juices, functional beverages, frozen desserts and emerging wellness formats. Reporting to the Director of R&D, this role works closely with cross-functional teams to execute concepts through the full innovation lifecycle from idea to pilot to commercialization, ensuring products are ready for successful execution in manufacturing.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, or related discipline (Master’s a plus).
7+ years of hands-on research & development or product development experience in food & beverage, with demonstrated experience taking products from lab to manufacturing.
Strong hands-on formulation and bench-development expertise.
Experience scaling products from lab to manufacturing environments, supporting/executing pilot runs, line trials, and early-stage production.
Solid understanding of ingredient functionality, food safety, shelf-life and sensory testing.
Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
Excellent documentation, communication, and collaboration skills.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.

Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end execution of new products and product improvements, from concept development through scale-up and launch.
Formulate and iterate formulations using the R&D lab, ensuring flavor, functionality, nutrition, and manufacturability align with Pressed standards
Translate brand briefs and consumer insights into feasible, scalable product concepts and prototypes
Apply creative and innovative problem-solving within technical, regulatory, and operational constraints
Explore and evaluate innovative ingredients, formats, and product trends relevant to beverage, juice, frozen, and ice cream categories
Partner with suppliers and internal teams to assess technical feasibility, sensory impact, scalability, and clean-label fit of emerging ingredients and concepts
Maintain strong awareness of ingredient, flavor, functional wellness, and broader CPG category trends
Oversee and manage daily operations of the R&D lab, including workflow prioritization, equipment use, safety protocols, sanitation, and ingredient inventory.
Lead benchtop trials, sensory evaluations, stability testing, and shelf-life assessments.
Ensure lab work reflects production realities and supports repeatable, scalable execution.
Document formulations, processing parameters, and technical specifications with precision and consistency.
Partner collaboratively with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to scale recipes from lab to pilot to full production.
Provide hands-on R&D support during pilot runs, line trials, and early productions at internal manufacturing facilities and co-manufacturing partners.
Support process validation and technical troubleshooting as needed.
Balance product integrity with cost, sourcing feasibility, food safety, and operational efficiency.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Retail, Wholesale, QA, Operations, and Supply Chain on pipeline planning, consumer testing, concept prioritization, and execution alignment.
Present prototypes, learnings, and recommendations to leadership, including senior stakeholders.
Support renovation initiatives to improve taste, nutrition, quality, and margin across the existing portfolio.
Ensure QA-ready, execution-ready documentation prior to scale-up.
Capture learnings from lab work and trials and incorporate them into ongoing development.
Review and verify supplier and ingredient documentation, including specifications, technical data sheets, allergen statements, and related compliance materials, in partnership with QA and Supply Chain.