Overview
The Director of Product Development will lead innovation and commercialization for Califia Farms portfolio of plant-based beverages, including plant-based milks, creamers, barista, coffees, ready-to-drink beverages, and adjacent platforms. This role is responsible for building and executing a forward-thinking innovation pipeline that delivers exceptional taste, functionality, nutrition, and scalability while aligning with brand positioning and financial targets.
The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in plant-based formulation, beverage processing (including aseptic/UHT), ingredient functionality (proteins, emulsifiers, stabilizers), and commercialization within both entrepreneurial and structured CPG environments.
This position is based at our Bakersfield, CA manufacturing facility.
Responsibilities
Innovation Strategy & Portfolio Leadership
Develop and execute a multi-year innovation roadmap aligned with growth, margin, and brand objectives
Identify whitespace opportunities across plant-based dairy alternatives, functional beverages, and emerging categories
Translate consumer insights, sensory trends, and sustainability goals into differentiated product concepts
Balance breakthrough innovation with renovation, cost optimization, and quality improvement initiatives
Plant-Based Beverage Formulation & Development
Lead formulation of plant-based milks (oat, almond, soy, coconut, etc.), creamers, and RTD beverages
Optimize protein systems, emulsification, hydrocolloid stabilization, sweetness systems, and flavor masking
Ensure products deliver on key functional attributes: foamability, heat stability (for coffee), mouthfeel, shelf stability, and texture
Drive nutritional targets (e.g., protein content, sugar reduction, fortification) while maintaining superior sensory performance
Commercialization & Scale-Up
Oversee end-to-end stage-gate process from benchtop through pilot plant and commercial production
Lead scale-up for aseptic/UHT processing, homogenization, HTST, and co-manufacturing environments
Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure manufacturability, ingredient security, and cost targets
Troubleshoot plant trials, manage first production runs, and resolve stability or quality challenges
Technical & Regulatory Oversight
Ensure compliance with FDA regulations, labeling requirements, and claim substantiation (e.g., non-dairy, allergen-free, protein claims)
Oversee shelf-life validation, packaging compatibility, and quality assurance alignment
Evaluate emerging plant proteins, clean-label stabilizers, and sustainable ingredient innovations
Maintain awareness of evolving regulatory and competitive landscape in plant-based beverages
Cross-Functional Leadership
Partner closely with Marketing, Sales, Finance, Procurement, and Operations to align innovation with business objectives
Present pipeline updates and commercialization plans to executive leadership
Support pricing strategy and margin modeling through formulation and ingredient optimization
Team Development & Process Excellence
Build and mentor a high-performing R&D and beverage development team
Establish strong documentation practices, formulation databases, and technical standards
Implement KPIs to track speed to market, cost targets, and innovation revenue contribution
Foster a culture of curiosity, agility, and continuous improvement
Qualifications
Required
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred
15+ years of product development experience in dairy and/or plant-based beverages (foods)
5+ years of leadership experience
Proven track record launching commercialized dairy and/or plant-based beverages at scale
Deep knowledge of plant protein systems, emulsions, stabilizers, sweeteners, and flavor systems
Experience with aseptic/UHT processing and co-manufacturing networks
Preferred
Prior experience at a large, established CPG company with exposure to structured innovation processes and national-scale commercialization
Experience in dairy/dairy alternatives (oat, almond, soy, coconut, pea-based systems)
Familiarity with barista functionality and coffee applications
Sensory evaluation and consumer testing expertise
Key Competencies
Strong commercial and margin acumen
Technical depth in beverage systems
Agile decision-maker in fast-paced CPG environments
Cross-functional collaborator
Data-driven and process-oriented
Strategic thinker with executional discipline
Success Metrics
Innovation-driven revenue growth
On-time, on-budget product launches
Margin improvement through formulation optimization
Successful plant scale-ups with minimal quality deviations
Team engagement and retention
The expected salary range for this position is between $160,000 - $175,000 per year based on a full-time schedule. Location, confirmed job-related skills and experience will be considered in setting the actual salary. As a full-time employee, you will be eligible to enroll in Califia’s employee benefits program. You may also be eligible to participate in the company’s bonus program which may be subject to change.
The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity for employees and applicants in all aspects of the employment relationship, without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.
