Product Development Director at Yoakum, Texas

Job Title:  Product Development Director

Reports To: President of Eddy Packing  

Location: Yoakum, TX

Number of Reports: 1

Position Summary:

The Product Development Director is the senior Food Scientist at Eddy Packing and leads the Product Development Process. This position leads the product developmental efforts at Eddy Packing, works closely with the sales and manufacturing teams in leveraging meat science knowledge to optimize new products and improve quality or manufacturing process to achieve company and sales objective. This individual must be able to manage multiple developmental projects simultaneously, ensuring that milestones and deliverables are met.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Identify, develop and validate manufacturing processes leveraging meat science knowledge to achieve new product, quality, productivity, and plant objectives.

• Develop and manage timelines for all projects.

• Work closely with suppliers to identify potential ingredient, product optimization and plant objectives.

• Coordinate and perform product and line trials as dictated by project and customer.

• Work closely with equipment vendors to ensure process capability.

• Work closely with manufacturing to ensure that key operational metrics are obtained for new product startups and productivity.

• Work closely with FSQA to ensure that key product requirements are identified and delivered leveraging scientific skills.

• Generate new ideas for new products, product improvements, and productivity.

• Perform Product development test, pilot runs and plant trials as dictated by product requirements.

• Initiate and coordinate shelf life studies with FSQA department.

• Develop process parameters within plant capability to ensure success on new items.

• Work with external testing labs as appropriate.

• Ensure that key performance criteria are developed, specified and achieved.

• Develop product and process specifications for new and/or existing products.

• Prepare and input information into product specification system.

• Prepare or assist with preparations for filing USDA approvals.

• Develop and maintain current and accurate specifications for all products.

• Actively participate in multiple cross-functional project teams.

• Serve as the technical expert coordinating between PD, sales, marketing, procurement, finance, and operations.

• Interact with all key business partners to ensure that product and sales initiatives and needs are fulfilled.

• Lead/participate on productivity teams that contribute to overall company cost-saving objects.

• Identify, develop, validate and commercialize cost optimized solutions.

• Ensure that the cost-optimized solutions meet/exceed product safety requirements and maximize cost savings.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• One Product Development assistant reports into this position at the plant.

Education / Skills / Experience

Education/Experience/Requirements:

• B.S. - Meat Science (or equivalent)

• 7+ years of relevant meat industry experience (new products, formulation, process development)

Skills Proficiencies:

• Knowledgeable in ingredient selection, formulation, processing equipment, and operating conditions

• Extensive technical and theoretical knowledge of meat science and manufacturing processes

• Ability to manage multiple projects and still meet critical project milestones

• Ability to make good decisions based on factual data, past experience, and common sense.

• Strong project management skills

• Understands and uses design of experiment techniques

• Exceptional problem solving skills

• Proficiency in the use of MS Office software including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint

• Knowledge of Cooking, smoking, chilling and freezing requirements and technologies

Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) and the ability to interact with all company segments

Physical Requirements

The employee is required to stand, sit, walk, push, pull, climb, reach overhead and bend to the floor.  Must be able to exert 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or exert up to 60 pounds of force occasionally.