Technical Production Management Director
Posted Updated
Description
The Technical Product Management Director -- Engineering champions the development, evaluation, engineering validation, and process mapping of new technologies and current capability optimization, ensuring engineering initiatives are aligned with product specifications, commercial readiness, throughput targets, operational efficiency, and quality expectations.
The role requires close collaboration across R&D, Engineering, Operations, FSQA, vendors, co-manufacturers, and external technical partners, serving as the internal expert on the intersection of equipment design, manufacturing process, product experience, and hygienic design, with a priority focus on roasting, liquid coffee extraction, filtration, forward osmosis, batching, packaging, beverage flavor, quality, and food safety.
The role requires close collaboration across R&D, Engineering, Operations, FSQA, vendors, co-manufacturers, and external technical partners, serving as the internal expert on the intersection of equipment design, manufacturing process, product experience, and hygienic design, with a priority focus on roasting, liquid coffee extraction, filtration, forward osmosis, batching, packaging, beverage flavor, quality, and food safety.
This Director is critical to bridging R&D product expertise into the Engineering functional team, ensuring that equipment and process design consistently delivers superior product quality and taste.
This role leads the technical integration of product and process strategy, enabling innovation and lifecycle management to support the company's growth and differentiation in the beverage sector. This can include Co-Manufacturing and/or M&A support and strategies.
This role leads the technical integration of product and process strategy, enabling innovation and lifecycle management to support the company's growth and differentiation in the beverage sector. This can include Co-Manufacturing and/or M&A support and strategies.
Job Duties:
- Shape technical strategy for equipment and process design with direct consideration for product sensory impact, quality, and regulatory compliance.
- Own engineering specifications for liquid coffee extraction, filtration, forward osmosis, extract batching, automated recipe management, and bulk-to-retail packaging systems.
- Hold equipment vendors accountable to defined quality, throughput, flavor preservation, chemistry profile, hygienic design, and operational performance requirements.
- Author and execute Installation Qualification (IQ) protocols for new hardware and lead Operational Qualification (OQ) testing using active coffee product to confirm commercial readiness.
- Advise and lead on Commissioning, Qualification, and Verification (CQV) activities and initial production runs ensuring product standards are met.
- Optimize automated batching and blending systems for recipe precision, concentration control, consistency, and repeatable product quality.
- Collaborate with cross-functional team on the design, startup, and continuous improvement of automated spent grounds processing systems, including wet and dry transport solutions.
- Support and drive the product innovation pipeline within Engineering, from ideation through commercialization and lifecycle management.
- Identify and drive opportunities for intellectual property, process improvement, and cost optimization that support business goals.
- Ensure and improve collaboration with internal sites and external partners (OEMs, consultants, universities, co-manufacturers) for technical advancements and troubleshooting.
- Provide hands-on expert support for product and sensory research, customer-facing innovation meetings, and new platform development.
- Support key capital project planning, installation, and commissioning, as well as operations efficiency initiatives to optimize flavor and product consistency.
- Review design footprints and physical installations for pilot plant upgrades, automated packaging line additions, retail and foodservice filling lines, and bulk/industrial packaging formats.
- Advise on regulatory and food safety considerations (FDA, USDA, SQF, process authority requirements) in all relevant project phases.
- Develop protocols, oversee pilot plant and production line trial runs, troubleshoot root causes of product and process challenges, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Serve as a Product & Engineering technical liaison for Co-manufacturing and M&A due diligence and integration as needed.
- Serve as the subject matter expert for Conway and Concord coffee roasting, liquid extraction, filtration, forward osmosis, extract batching, automated spent grounds handling, and filled beverage line upgrades and expansions, including bulk and MSB bottle formats.
- Expand technical influence toward additional product lines and packaging formats, including high-speed aluminum can, glass bottle, PET bottle, drum, tote, and bag-in-box systems as business needs are identified.