Research And Development Manager - Fresno - Pressed Juicery

Description

Pressed is growing and hiring a Research & Development Manager to lead product execution across our Fresno and Dinuba manufacturing facilities. We're looking for a hands-on leader who knows how to translate formulation into scalable manufacturing.

Ensure all your application information is up to date and in order before applying for this opportunity.

If you thrive at the intersection of benchtop innovation and plant-floor execution - this is your role.

About Pressed Juicery

Pressed Juicery is a modern wellness brand built with the mission to empower your wellness journey.

Founded in 2010 by three friends, Pressed began as a small space with a big idea: real, nourishing food should be accessible and fit into everyday life. What started in a tiny Los Angeles juice bar has grown into a dynamic omnichannel brand, with products available through thousands of retailers nationwide, alongside our company-owned stores and direct-to-consumer channel.

At Pressed Juicery, we operate as one community bringing high-quality, better-for-you products to market. Guided by passion and purpose, we're building what's next in wellness.

Our Mission

Pressed Juicery's mission is to empower your wellness journey.

Our Workplace Culture

• We embrace diversity, equity, inclusion, and belongingness
• We speak up with radically candid communication.
• We wholeheartedly support personal and professional growth.
• We believe mistakes can be valuable and lead to continuous improvement.
• Lastly, we value excellence and strive to achieve greatness in all we do

Our Values

• Community - as leaders, we celebrate differences, champion strengths, and compassionately aspire to be our most vibrant selves.
• Passion - curious and humble, we inspire people to make healthy choices.
• Growth - pursuing wellness with intention, we create and embrace good energy.

Our Benefits

• 401k match
• Annual bonus eligibility
• Two weeks of vacation time
• Paid holidays and 8 Pressed Days (additional days off)
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Generous paid parental leave
• Employee Referral Program

About the Role

As Pressed expands, consistent product execution is critical. The Research & Development Manager is responsible for owning the translation of our Support Center-developed formulations into robust, scalable manufacturing processes and for defining, approving, and maintaining product and process standards across our Fresno and Dinuba facilities.

This role serves as the primary technical authority at the plant level, ensuring that what is developed by our Support Center R&D is executed with precision, consistency, and integrity - batch after batch, bottle after bottle. The R&D Manager exercises independent judgment to establish and optimize critical process parameters, evaluate formulation and ingredient variability, and make non-routine technical decisions that protect product quality, food safety, and brand standards.

Operating within Pressed's clean-label standards (no natural flavors, additives, or preservatives) and established quality, safety, and operational guidelines, this role also identifies opportunities to improve process performance, product consistency, and manufacturing outcomes.

Success in this role requires advanced Food Science expertise, strong sensory and analytical skills, and the ability to lead cross-functional decision-making in a fast-paced, bilingual (English/Spanish) manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Product Execution, Scale-Up & Standards Ownership

• Own the scale-up of approved formulas from benchtop through pilot and full-scale production, including trial design, protocol development, execution oversight, data analysis, and final technical recommendations.
• Establish, approve, and maintain critical product and process parameters (e.g., pH, Brix, temperature, hold times, yields), ensuring they are integrated into plant SOPs, batch sheets, and training materials.
• Independently evaluate formulation and process change requests, conduct technical risk assessments, and approve or recommend modifications through established change-control processes.
• Lead cross-functional root cause analyses for complex production issues, determine corrective and preventive actions, and make go/no-go recommendations for product disposition and future runs.
• Act as the primary decision-maker for technical questions related to product execution at the plant, escalating only complex or strategic issues to the Director of R&D.
• Collaborate with QA, Production, Procurement, and Supply Chain to ensure reliable and repeatable batch outcomes across shifts and facilities.

Sensory & Quality Leadership

• Design and oversee in-line and post-production sensory evaluation programs for key products, establishing and maintaining gold-standard sensory benchmarks in alignment with R&D Leadership.
• Define sensory-based acceptance and rejection criteria for raw materials and finished goods and make final technical recommendations regarding product release or hold.
• Interpret production, sensory, and quality data to identify trends, systemic risks, and opportunities for process or formulation improvement.
• Lead implementation of sensory and quality improvements in partnership with QA and Operations.
• Partner with QA leadership to refine and enhance quality and sensory protocols to reflect current technical standards and product intent.

Ingredient & Shelf-Life Management

• Lead technical evaluation of new and alternate ingredients for sensory, formulation, and functional fit, including specification review, variability assessment, and impact on process performance and shelf life.
• Design and oversee shelf-life studies (sensory, microbial, packaging stability), analyze results, and recommend shelf-life parameters, storage conditions, and formulation or process adjustments as needed.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation on ingredient variability, formulation adjustments, and process changes, providing clear technical rationale to QA, Procurement, and Operations.

Manufacturing/QA Liaison & Process Optimization

• Serve as the primary R&D representative for manufacturing initiatives, translating product and brand intent into clear, actionable product and process specifications.
• Provide technical leadership for new line validations, equipment commissioning, and process optimization projects, including defining success criteria and recommending changes to equipment settings or process design.
• Evaluate and recommend enhancements to GMP, HACCP, and internal quality protocols from a technical perspective, partnering with QA to implement and monitor improvements.
• Influence production planning and operational decisions by providing technical guidance on product feasibility, run order considerations, change impacts, and risk mitigation.

Documentation, Reporting & Cross-Functional Influence

• Own the creation, approval, and ongoing maintenance of raw material and finished product specifications, ensuring accuracy and alignment with brand and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and deliver clear technical summaries and reports to the Director of R&D and cross-functional partners, highlighting trends, risks, and recommended actions.
• Provide technical guidance and coaching to plant leadership, supervisors, and QA staff to elevate understanding of product standards, process parameters, and scientific rationale.
• Contribute to commercialization and strategic R&D discussions by representing the manufacturing perspective and identifying implications for plant execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a closely related scientific field required; Master's degree strongly preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in food or beverage R&D, process development, or technical services, with significant experience in manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading scale-up, defining process parameters, and making independent technical decisions that impact product quality, safety, and cost.
• Strong background in sensory science and application in production settings, including design and interpretation of sensory programs.
• Experience developing and maintaining raw material and finished product specifications and leading cross-functional technical projects.
• Experience with juices and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages (e.g., HPP beverages, smoothies) preferred; familiarity with clean-label and minimally processed products strongly preferred.
• Robust understanding of GMP, HACCP, and shelf-life principles and their practical application in manufacturing.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Comfortable working in manufacturing environments and balancing time between office-based analysis and on-floor technical leadership.
• Fluent in Spanish strongly preferred.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.

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