Director of Product Development

Eclipse Foods is building the future of dairy using micelles (the microscopic magic of milk.) Eclipse has developed the world’s first plant-based dairy tech platform which makes plant-based products that are indistinguishable from conventional dairy. We are the team behind JUST Mayo, have chef’d/ staged at 16 Michelin stars, and are alt-protein experts. We’ve raised over $60M from leading investors such as Y Combinator, the chairman of Beyond Meat, the founder of Reddit, the creator of Gmail, a former Dreyer’s exec, various top-tier VCs, and more. Our mission is to create a more sustainable, healthy, and humane food system by making amazing plant-based foods that require no sacrifice.

Eclipse is seeking a Director of Product Development who will be instrumental in our quest to be the plant-based dairy brand that transforms the dairy sector for good. We are growing our product pipeline and ranks, and need a senior R&D leader to help us actualize our innovation agenda. This role will report directly to the Chief Technology Officer.

Who are we?

• We’re the next massive plant-based food company, revolutionizing the $500B dairy sector
• We’re on a mission to save our planet, our health, and animals by creating a solution to fix the food system
• We’re the people behind some of the best-selling plant-based products in the world (JUST mayo, for example)
• We’ve raised over $60M from renowned investors such as Y Combinator, the Chairman of Beyond Meat, the Founder of Reddit, Forerunner Ventures, Initialized Capital, Sozo Ventures, and more- all to achieve our audacious vision and mission
• We launched the first-ever dairy-free shake available at a national chain (Smashburger) and have partnered with some of the best chefs in the world, including Michael Tusk of Quince (3 Michelin stars) and Corey Lee of Benu (3 Michelin stars)
• We’re people of integrity. We do what we say we will do, we treat others right, we care deeply about those around us, and we put our hearts into our work.
• We are constantly hustling to get things done that need to get done. We all roll up our sleeves and “do the dishes”. We embody the spirit of a startup.
• Last, but not least, we are CREAMY. Our values are Communication, Respect, Ego-free, Attentive, Moral compass points north, and Yes we can attitude. If you embody all of these values, you’ll fit right in.

Who are you?

• 10+ years of progressive Commercialization and/or Product Development experience, preferably in the dairy and/or plant-based industries; 5+ years of product development in the food service channel; minimum of 2 years experience (ideally 4+ years) working with and/or manipulating functional proteins; minimum 8 years experience directly managing and developing people
• Degree(s) in food science, food engineering, microbiology, chemistry, or related field
• A relentless problem solver who views challenges as exciting learning opportunities
• You have worked with and have a solid understanding of functional ingredients and their interactions within a system
• You have an existing supplier and partner network to support the identification and qualification of manufacturing facilities to commercialize new products according to brand standards
• You seamlessly work cross-functionally to identify and execute product improvement and consistency through reformulations and maintenance initiatives
• You possess a solid understanding of innovations in the manufacturing process.
• You have strong planning, project management, and execution skills, and the ability to articulate where and how you have used them
• You demonstrate rigorous data-driven/analytical capability and ability and presence to present data effectively to a leadership team
• You monitor current and new technologies in the dairy and nondairy space; bonus if you have solid knowledge of fermentation, culturing, enzymatic reactions, and their uses within a system.
• You must be willing and able to occasionally work outside of regular business hours.
• You have strong business acumen with a demonstrated understanding of the financial aspects of product development.
• Support Marketing in the development of collateral marketing materials
• You are a player/ coach, able to lead your own development initiatives in the lab, pilot plant, and factory while also mentoring team members to support the growth of their capabilities
• You are curious, constantly seeking opportunities to improve, optimize, and innovate
• Exceptionally organized, with superior time management, and communication skills; ability to interact with and clearly present information to all levels of management and stakeholders
• You’re a great person, in and out of work. You practice humility, collaboration, proactivity, trustworthiness, kindness, organization, and diligence

What will you do?

• Lead and motivate R&D staff in the technical aspects of development and commercialization through the investigation, planning, pipeline execution, product and process improvements, troubleshooting projects, and cost savings
• Own product development process end-to-end, prioritizing and allocating work, building and tracking timelines, KPIs, and deadlines, and identifying resource gaps and constraints.
• Establish strategies and tactical plans for each product
• Manage the PD / R&D team, providing direction, feedback, and mentorship, and ensuring accountability and a high-performance culture while fostering a culture of creativity in innovation
• Validate new equipment, ingredients, products or processes through bench and pilot work.
• Scope new roles as needed, interview, and hire additional members to the PD / R&D teams, leveraging your network to source exceptional hires
• Ensure efficient and effective transition of product development programs to high-volume manufacturing
• Partner closely with Operations to understand all product costs and levers to improve innovation COGS
• Lead the identification and capture of intellectual property throughout the discovery, prototyping, and development process
• Partner with Quality to maintain benchmarking practices for the testing of our new products and competitive products with action plans to address any quality gaps
• Identify and scope new technologies to drive advancements in product costs, product quality, and margin improvements
• Model, build, and foster the culture, values, and mission of Eclipse

This is a full-time position with a hybrid work environment (remote permitted one day per week). Our headquarters and new R&D labs and pilot plant are located in Alameda, CA, and we offer free on-site parking, a 401K company match, flexible PTO, snacks, team lunch on Fridays, unlimited coffee/beverages, and more.

Annual base salary range: $130,000 – $180,000.

The above represents the expected annual salary for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining our salary ranges, we consider skills, location, experience, and other job-related factors, while balancing internal equity relative to peers at the company.

Candidates will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 upon commencing employment. Reasonable accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis for exemptions to this requirement in accordance with applicable law.

Authorization to work in the U.S. is required; we do not provide visa sponsorship for this role.

Eclipse Foods is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our customers. We are deeply committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. 

Eclipse Foods