Job Locations US-CA-Bakersfield

Job ID 2026-1733

# of Openings

1

Category

Research and Development

The Director of Product Development will lead innovation and commercialization for Califia Farms portfolio of plant-based beverages, including plant-based milks, creamers, barista, coffees, ready-to-drink beverages, and adjacent platforms. This role is responsible for building and executing a forward-thinking innovation pipeline that delivers exceptional taste, functionality, nutrition, and scalability while aligning with brand positioning and financial targets.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in plant-based formulation, beverage processing (including aseptic/UHT), ingredient functionality (proteins, emulsifiers, stabilizers), and commercialization within both entrepreneurial and structured CPG environments.

Innovation Strategy & Portfolio Leadership

• Develop and execute a multi-year innovation roadmap aligned with growth, margin, and brand objectives
• Identify whitespace opportunities across plant-based dairy alternatives, functional beverages, and emerging categories
• Translate consumer insights, sensory trends, and sustainability goals into differentiated product concepts
• Balance breakthrough innovation with renovation, cost optimization, and quality improvement initiatives

Plant-Based Beverage Formulation & Development

• Lead formulation of plant-based milks (oat, almond, soy, coconut, etc.), creamers, and RTD beverages
• Optimize protein systems, emulsification, hydrocolloid stabilization, sweetness systems, and flavor masking
• Ensure products deliver on key functional attributes: foamability, heat stability (for coffee), mouthfeel, shelf stability, and texture
• Drive nutritional targets (e.g., protein content, sugar reduction, fortification) while maintaining superior sensory performance

Commercialization & Scale-Up

• Oversee end-to-end stage-gate process from benchtop through pilot plant and commercial production
• Lead scale-up for aseptic/UHT processing, homogenization, HTST, and co-manufacturing environments
• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure manufacturability, ingredient security, and cost targets
• Troubleshoot plant trials, manage first production runs, and resolve stability or quality challenges

Technical & Regulatory Oversight

• Ensure compliance with FDA regulations, labeling requirements, and claim substantiation (e.g., non-dairy, allergen-free, protein claims)
• Oversee shelf-life validation, packaging compatibility, and quality assurance alignment
• Evaluate emerging plant proteins, clean-label stabilizers, and sustainable ingredient innovations
• Maintain awareness of evolving regulatory and competitive landscape in plant-based beverages

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Marketing, Sales, Finance, Procurement, and Operations to align innovation with business objectives
• Present pipeline updates and commercialization plans to executive leadership
• Support pricing strategy and margin modeling through formulation and ingredient optimization

Team Development & Process Excellence

• Build and mentor a high-performing R&D and beverage development team
• Establish strong documentation practices, formulation databases, and technical standards
• Implement KPIs to track speed to market, cost targets, and innovation revenue contribution
• Foster a culture of curiosity, agility, and continuous improvement

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred
• 15+ years of product development experience in dairy and/or plant-based beverages (foods)
• 5+ years of leadership experience
• Proven track record launching commercialized dairy and/or plant-based beverages at scale
• Deep knowledge of plant protein systems, emulsions, stabilizers, sweeteners, and flavor systems
• Experience with aseptic/UHT processing and co-manufacturing networks

Preferred

• Prior experience at a large, established CPG company with exposure to structured innovation processes and national-scale commercialization
• Experience in dairy/dairy alternatives (oat, almond, soy, coconut, pea-based systems)
• Familiarity with barista functionality and coffee applications
• Sensory evaluation and consumer testing expertise

Key Competencies

• Strong commercial and margin acumen
• Technical depth in beverage systems
• Agile decision-maker in fast-paced CPG environments
• Cross-functional collaborator
• Data-driven and process-oriented
• Strategic thinker with executional discipline

Success Metrics

• Innovation-driven revenue growth
• On-time, on-budget product launches
• Margin improvement through formulation optimization
• Successful plant scale-ups with minimal quality deviations
• Team engagement and retention

The expected salary range for this position is between $160,000 - $175,000 per year based on a full-time schedule. Location, confirmed job-related skills and experience will be considered in setting the actual salary. As a full-time employee, you will be eligible to enroll in Califia’s employee benefits program. You may also be eligible to participate in the company’s bonus program which may be subject to change.

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity for employees and applicants in all aspects of the employment relationship, without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.

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