Sr Director, Research & Development

Sr Director, Research & Development

Research & Development   •   Bolingbrook, IL   •   Full-Time   •   $220,000-$235,000 base

The Real Good Story:

Real Good Foods started with a pretty simple idea: food should taste great and be made better. Today, we’re building something bigger around that belief—challenging the status quo with real ingredients, more protein, fewer carbs, and food people genuinely crave. Through it all, we keep it real: real food, real ingredients, and really good taste. Because eating well shouldn’t be complicated. It should be Real Good.

As a Real Good Senior Director, Research & Development you will be accountable for the performance of our development pipeline from concept through commercialization. You will lead the team that turns ideas into products consumers love and buy again, and you will partner across the company to bring those products to market quickly and well.

This role is built for a leader who wants real accountability for a pipeline and a team, and who is ready to build the R&D bench alongside an industry-veteran Chief R&D & Quality Officer.

Over time, as the team and process mature, the seat is built to grow into ownership of the end-to-end project lifecycle, from charter through launch, a deliberate path for advancement.

On Your Plate:

Product Development

• Lead the R&D development pipeline from concept and feasibility through formulation, process development, scale-up, commercialization, and post-launch review, using agile R&D principles to compress learning cycles and keep the pipeline moving without going backwards.
• Develop products that meet Real Good Foods’ nutritional platform, including high-protein and low-carb targets.
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Food Safety and Quality to define the capabilities needed to launch, vetting in-house and co-manufacturing options and balancing speed to market with cost and margin.
• Build food safety and quality into formulation and process from the outset, partnering closely with the Quality and Food Safety teams (quality by design).
• Ensure products and labels meet USDA/FSIS and FDA requirements, partnering with regulatory, legal, and labeling resources on claims and nomenclature.
• Partner with Supply Chain and FP&A to improve quality and drive cost out of existing products.
• Monitor competitive products and consumer and regulatory trends to shape the pipeline and formulation approach.

Commercialization Partnership

• Partner with the Project Management Office on sequencing and cross-functional coordination.
• With the PMO, coordinate with cross-functional partners including Marketing, Operations, and Procurement to commit to and de-risk each launch through the company’s commercialization process.

R&D Team and Standards

• Set the standard for trial rigor at the bench so formulas, BOMs, specifications, and label declarations are complete and aligned to perform at scale on the production floor.
• Create function-wide standards for product development, bench trials, and formulation approvals.
• Own the development of protocols for product specifications, testing methods, and stability and shelf-life approaches, with clear documentation standards that keep the work repeatable.
• Create a culture of feedback and performance to ensure the whole team performs at a high standard.

Recipe for Success:

• The development pipeline moves predictably from concept through launch, and launch commitments hold.
• Learning cycles are compressed through agile, parallel-path development, improving speed without going backwards.
• Trial rigor is consistent at the bench, with formulas, BOMs, specifications, and labels complete and aligned to perform at scale.
• New and reformulated products meet Real Good Foods’ nutritional platform and land on the right production path, balancing speed with cost and margin.
• The product development team operates to clear standards, with a culture of feedback and performance.
• R&D is seen as a driver of growth, turning ideas into products that win with consumers.
• Bring a proactive, ownership mindset to your work and help move projects forward
• Contribute to a collaborative, high-accountability team culture

What You Bring to the Table:

Essential

• Strong, proven leadership, with a track record of building and developing teams and getting the best from the people around them.
• Equally at home doing hands-on benchwork and engaging with executives, with strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills across functions and at every level.
• Comfort with ambiguity, with the ability to set direction and make sound decisions with imperfect information.
• Deep expertise in manufacturing and commercializing new products and new equipment.
• Demonstrated comfort working on accelerated timelines (concept to market in weeks or months, not years).
• 10+ years in food or CPG product development, including experience leading and developing teams.
• A track record of leading innovation from concept to development and through the commercialization process.
• Product development experience in USDA-regulated environments, with working knowledge of label claims and nomenclature for meat and poultry.
• Master’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Food Chemistry, Meat Science, or a related field.
• Experience working in high-growth or entrepreneurial environments
• Demonstrated ability to drive results through collaboration and influence

Preferred  (strong pluses; not required)

• Experience with breaded or further-processed proteins; poultry experience a plus.
• Experience formulating to nutritional targets such as high protein and low carb, and substantiating on-pack claims.
• Command of structured and agile development, including design of experiments (DOE), plus scale-up and process development experience.
• Experience building or working with formal sensory and consumer-testing programs.
• Fluency with formulation and labeling systems (e.g., Genesis) and PLM tools.
• Broader FDA regulatory experience beyond meat and poultry. 

Why Our Employees Are Full:

Because work should feel good, too.

At Real Good Foods, employees can make an impact at a company that's redefining what's possible in frozen food. We're building a brand that helps people eat better without sacrificing the foods they love, and we know that starts with great people.

Upon joining Real Good Foods, you'll find:

• A mission-driven company focused on improving lives through better nutrition
• A culture that values ownership, action, and fresh thinking
• Real growth and the chance to help shape the future of a category-leading brand
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• Paid time off, company holidays, and work-life balance initiatives

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Real Good Foods is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions, including final compensation package, are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.

Like any good recipe, this job description includes the key ingredients, but it may not capture every responsibility, duty, qualification, or opportunity that comes with the role. As Real Good Foods continues to evolve, new challenges are added to the menu. If you meet many, but not every, qualification and are excited about making an impact, we encourage you to apply.

READY TO JOIN THE Real Good MOVEMENT?

Apply today or reach out with resume to [email protected]