Research & Development Manager

Whats it like to work at Kinders Well theres a lot of snacking and geeking out over what we all cooked over the weekend. Beyond that theres also plenty of hard work. Because we dont just like flavor were obsessed with it.

With over 100 products sold nationwide were now a top-five brand in multiple flavor categories at Costco Walmart Whole Foods and more. Were not your typical CPG company. Privately held and founder-led we like to think of ourselves as a pirate ship in a sea of cruise ships. Our crew is adventurous and fearless. We chart our own course and chase big ideas to make food unforgettable.

As we expand globally and approach $1 billion in revenue we need more smart-and-scrappy flavor-obsessed people to come aboard. If youre looking for a place where you can see the real impact of your work... this is it!Every day youll be part of a journey to add flavor to millions of meals and lives.

What We Are Looking For:

At Kinders were passionate about creating food that brings people together. The Manager Research & Development will be responsible for supporting the development and execution of new and improved products across retail club and foodservice channels. This role will drive product formulation process development and innovation from concept through commercialization ensuring every product meets Kinders high standards for taste quality and scalability.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a hands-on role in a growing values-driven food brand partnering cross-functionally to deliver consumer-loved innovation that fuels Kinders continued success.

What Youll Be Doing:

Lead Product Development

• Support the end-to-end product development process from concept ideation to launch ensuring alignment with brand priorities timelines and cost objectives.

Drive Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and execute opportunities for innovation renovation and cost optimization across Kinders portfolio leveraging emerging ingredients technologies and process improvements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Operations Marketing Culinary and Supply Chain to translate consumer insights into technically feasible scalable and commercially viable products.

Technical Execution & Scale-Up

• Support formulation work pilot plant trials and production scale-ups to ensure successful transfer from bench to manufacturing.
  Troubleshoot issues and optimize for quality and consistency.

Project Management

• Manage multiple projects concurrently ensuring milestones deliverables and communication are clear and on track.
  Maintain visibility to leadership through status updates and documentation.

Regulatory & Quality Alignment

• Collaborate with Quality Assurance and Regulatory teams to ensure product compliance with ingredient standards labeling requirements and nutritional accuracy.

Team Collaboration & Development

• Contribute to a collaborative curious and accountable culture within the R&D team while supporting the development of junior team members and technicians.

What You Bring to the Table:

Skills and Experience:

• Bachelors degree in Food Science Chemical Engineering or related field (Masters preferred).
• 6-10 years of experience in food product development.
• Proven success in CPG innovation; meat sauces seasonings or condiments experience preferred.
• Strong technical knowledge of formulation ingredient functionality sensory evaluation and scale-up.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Effective communicator and collaborator across multiple functions and levels.
• Passion for great food and consumer-driven innovation.
• MUST BE ABLE TO TRAVEL UP TO 20%

Personal Characteristics:

• Results-oriented hands-on leader who thrives in a dynamic fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative and influential communicator who builds trust across teams.
• Curious resourceful and solution-oriented with strong attention to detail.
• Committed to quality integrity and continuous improvement.

Things About the Way We Work:

• No two days here are the same.
• We try to be good team members and good communicators but we dont live by hierarchy and structure everyone is a difference maker here.
• We make a lot of decisions in the face of incomplete information our team embrace ambiguity and tries to make good decisions fast rather than great decisions slow.
• We believe our job is to take smart risk not to eliminate risk.
• We believe in growing our skills and becoming a better company with more managerial expertise but we are an entrepreneurial company at heart.
• We arent trying to be average we want to do exceptional things and we are willing to work hard to achieve them.

The expected starting salary range for this role is $130000- $150000 per year.We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range based on the location of the role. The amount a particular employee will earn within the salary range will be based on factors such as relevant education qualifications performance and business needs.

• No two days here are the same.
• We try to be good team members and good communicators but we dont live by hierarchy and structure everyone is a difference maker here.
• We make a lot of decisions in the face of incomplete information our team embraces ambiguity and tries to make good decisions fast rather than great decisions slow.
• We believe our job is to take smart risk not to eliminate risk.
• We believe in growing our skills and becoming a better company with more managerial expertise but we are an entrepreneurial company at heart.
• We arent trying to be average we want to do exceptional things and we are willing to work hard to achieve them.

We offer a range of total rewards that may include paid time off 401k bonus / incentive eligibility equity grants competitive health benefits and other family-friendly benefits including parental leave. Kinders benefits vary based on eligibility and can be reviewed in more detail during the interview process.

We believe great culture starts with people. Were a people-first company built on connection collaboration and balance. Most of our work happens in the office to spark creativity and community but we also offer flexibility so team members have the autonomy to work outside the office when needed to support their work-life balance and personal commitments.

Kinders is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color ancestry national origin gender citizenship marital status religion age disability gender identity results of genetic testing veteran status as well as any other legally-protected characteristic. If you have a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law and you need any accommodation during the application process or to perform these job requirements please reach out to us at