Onsite R&D Manager

Business Unit Overview Headquartered in Lakeville, Minn., Post Consumer Brands, a business unit of Post Holdings, Inc., is dedicated to providing people and their pets with delicious food choices for every taste and budget. The company's portfolio includes beloved brands such as Honey Bunches of Oats™, PEBBLES™, Grape-Nuts™ and Malt-O-Meal™ cereal and Peter Pan™ peanut butter, as well as Rachael Ray® Nutrish™, Kibbles 'n Bits™ and 9Lives™ dog and cat food. Post also provides private label solutions to customers in pet food, cereal, nut butters and granola. As a company committed to high standards of quality and to our values, we are driven by one idea: To make lives better by making delicious food accessible for all. For more information about our brands, visit www.postconsumerbrands.com and follow us on LinkedIn or Facebook for the latest news. Location Description Visalia, CA is home to 360,000 square feet of manufacturing, packaging, warehouse, and office space. Approximately 250 employees work here, utilizing the latest technologies and systems, capable of producing extensive, diverse, and innovative pet food products. Visalia is in California’s San Joaquin Valley and the gateway to Sequoia National Park, part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It also has a minor league baseball team, the Visalia California Oaks, and several colleges and universities.

Research & Development Manager, Pet Food Location: Visalia, CA Company: Post Consumer Brands Make a Difference in Pet Nutrition At Post Consumer Brands, we're passionate about creating high-quality products that consumers trust and pets love. We're seeking an experienced and innovative Research & Development Manager to lead product development and technical initiatives at our Visalia, California pet food manufacturing facility. This leadership role is responsible for managing the local Product Development team, driving innovation and commercialization efforts, supporting manufacturing excellence, and ensuring the highest standards of food safety and product quality. The successful candidate will serve as a key technical leader and business partner, working cross-functionally to deliver new products, optimize existing formulas and processes, and support strategic growth initiatives. If you thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and enjoy turning technical expertise into business results, we'd love to hear from you.

Lead Product Development & Innovation Manage and develop the local Product Development team responsible for new and existing pet food products. Establish priorities and direct team activities to support innovation, cost optimization, quality improvements, and business objectives. Drive the development, validation, and commercialization of new products and product enhancements. Support implementation of new formulas, ingredients, processing technologies, and equipment. Serve as the Technical Leader Act as the primary technical point of contact for B2B customers, including Private Label and Co-Manufactured pet food programs. Partner directly with commercial teams and customers to provide technical expertise and support. Provide guidance on product formulation, process development, ingredient functionality, shelf-life performance, and product quality. Troubleshoot complex product and manufacturing challenges and develop practical, sustainable solutions. Drive Manufacturing Excellence Identify and lead formula, ingredient, process, and equipment-related improvements that increase efficiency, optimize costs, and improve product quality. Improve and sustain finished product identity and consistency at the plant level. Support validation of process and product parameter changes related to equipment, formulations, and manufacturing processes. Lead plant commercialization activities for new products and corporate cost-savings initiatives. Coordinate implementation of process improvements and best practices