Associate R&D Manager

About the Company

Dole Packaged Foods is a mission-driven organization focused on making fruit-based nutrition accessible and creating a healthier future through the power of fruit. The company’s culture is built around strong values and a shared commitment to respect, inclusion, excellence, integrity, collaboration, positivity, generosity, and innovation.

The team environment emphasizes doing the right thing, working across functions, and supporting one another to deliver meaningful outcomes and strong business results.

Role Overview

The Associate R&D Manager will support the research and development team in advancing innovation that drives growth across channels while helping expand access to health and nutrition for more than one billion people.

This position is based in Westlake Village, California, with a hybrid work arrangement that requires in-office presence three days per week.

Innovation Focus

The innovation pipeline includes projects that strengthen existing core product areas such as ingredients, beverages, and frozen products, as well as opportunities in new categories identified as white-space growth areas. Innovation is guided by two key principles:

• Nutrition: building a product portfolio centered on fruit-forward offerings
• Environment: creating consumer-facing packaging intended to be sustainable by 2030

Responsibilities

• Partner with cross-functional teams to help deliver the R&D innovation roadmap.
• Lead assigned projects at levels L0 to L3 through the project management and stage-gate process, ensuring scope, timeline, and deliverables are met.
• Evaluate technical feasibility and provide guidance on whether projects should be developed internally or through external partners.
• Support and coordinate third-party product and packaging development partners in testing, evaluation, and product development as needed.
• Work with Procurement to identify and engage suitable third-party manufacturing partners.
• Assist with product, process, and packaging development, including the application of packaging models, test methods, and core packaging principles.
• Own project-level cost of goods targets and help build cost assumptions and identify savings opportunities with guidance.
• Support the creation and upkeep of product and packaging specifications.
• Contribute to manufacturing trials and capture learnings related to formulation, process, and packaging performance.
• Handle additional tasks as assigned.

Requirements

• 2 to 4 years of experience in R&D, innovation, product development, quality assurance, or a similar function.
• Practical knowledge of product development, including formulation, ingredient selection, and stability testing.
• Experience with writing and managing specifications for formulations and packaging.
• Understanding of process development, including manufacturing capability, technology selection, equipment decisions, and contract manufacturing.
• Working knowledge of packaging basics, testing approaches, and performance expectations.
• Familiarity with industry quality systems such as GMP, HACCP, and GFSI.
• Exposure to cost of goods development and project-level cost control.
• Proven ability to help bring innovations into the market.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with manufacturing, marketing, sales, supply chain, and external partners.
• Must be proactive, open to feedback, committed to continuous improvement, and comfortable working in a diverse and inclusive environment.
• Strong ethical standards, transparency, and a team-oriented mindset are essential.
• Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods, use office equipment, answer phones, lift up to 15 pounds, and reach overhead.
• Occasional travel may be required, approximately 10% to 15%.

Education

A bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Engineering, or a closely related science-based field is required.

Equal Opportunity

All qualified applicants will be considered without discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.

Compensation

For California-based roles, the hiring pay range is USD 75,000 to 95,000 per year. Final compensation may vary depending on factors such as experience, education, achievements, and location, and pay ranges may be reviewed and updated over time.