Senior Director, Research & Development

Smithfield Foods
United States
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeUSD 180,000 - 222,500 annuallyFunction: Research & Scientific (R&D)Experience: 15+ yearsEducation: bachelorsSkills: ["Leadership","Coaching","Problem-solving","Decision-making","Continuous improvement"]

Lead enterprise research and development for Fresh Pork and Packaged Meats, owning innovation strategy and commercialization from concept through market launch. Guide product integration, new product development, prototyping, and manufacturing R&D teams, driving profitable growth, improved yields, and cost savings. Provide technical authority across meat science, food science, processing technologies, and manufacturing optimization, partnering with cross-functional leaders to deliver quality and food-safety excellence.

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Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods
4 days ago

Senior Director, Research & Development

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Job Summary

Lead enterprise research and development for Fresh Pork and Packaged Meats, owning innovation strategy and commercialization from concept through market launch. Guide product integration, new product development, prototyping, and manufacturing R&D teams, driving profitable growth, improved yields, and cost savings. Provide technical authority across meat science, food science, processing technologies, and manufacturing optimization, partnering with cross-functional leaders to deliver quality and food-safety excellence.
Location: United States
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Research & Scientific (R&D)
Seniority: Director level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Develop and execute the enterprise R&D strategy aligned with growth objectives, including innovation roadmaps and portfolio prioritization.
  • •Own commercialization execution, leading product launches from ideation through manufacturing implementation and market introduction.
  • •Provide senior scientific and technical leadership across formulations, ingredients, product functionality, quality systems, shelf life, and manufacturing performance.
  • •Partner with Operations to improve yields, throughput, labor utilization, recovery, and manufacturing efficiency while driving cost-reduction initiatives without compromising quality and food safety.
  • •Lead organizational innovation and people development by coaching leaders and technical professionals and establishing performance, succession, and talent management practices.

Pay and Benefits

Salary: USD 180,000 - 222,500 annually
Perks:Relocation

Key Requirements

  • •Bachelor’s degree in Meat Science, Food Science, Animal Science, Food Engineering, Biological Science, or related field, plus 15+ years of progressive R&D leadership experience (or equivalent).
  • •10+ years leading technical organizations, teams, and people.
  • •Significant experience leading managers, directors, and multifunctional technical organizations.
  • •Extensive expertise in meat science, food science, ingredient functionality, formulation development, and meat processing systems.
  • •Demonstrated success leading enterprise-wide innovation and commercialization, including cross-facility product launches and measurable cost/yield improvements.
Experience:15+ yearsFood manufacturingMeat processingProtein industry
Education:Bachelor's in Meat Science, Food Science, Animal Science, Food Engineering, Biological Science, or related technical discipline
Skills:LeadershipCoachingProblem-solvingDecision-makingContinuous improvement

Company Brief

Smithfield Foods
Produces pork and packaged meat products, operating integrated hog production, processing, and branded food businesses. It supplies retail, foodservice, and export markets across the United States and internationally.
Industry: Food Production
Company Size: Enterprise (1,001+ employees)
Revenue: USD 1B+
Growth: Established Company
Headquarters: Smithfield, United States
Founded: 1936
WebsiteLinkedIn