Gummi World

Research & Development - Dietary Supplements, Starch, Confectionery Nutraceuticals

Chandler, AZ
Full Time
Experienced
POSITION SUMMARY
The Director of Product Development is a founding, hands-on leader who owns Gummi World's product innovation pipeline from concept through commercialization. This role leads the development of great-tasting, consistently manufacturable dietary supplement and confectionery nutraceutical products — starch and starchless gummies, marshmallows, and other confectionery formats, with capsules and powders a plus — while building the processes, partnerships, and team that will scale with the company. This is a highly visible, customer-facing role: the ideal candidate is as comfortable running a flavor tasting or troubleshooting a batch on the floor as they are presenting to a client or leading a cross-functional strategy meeting. Success requires strong technical depth, sound business judgment, and the emotional intelligence to build trust with clients, suppliers, and internal teams alike.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Own the end-to-end product innovation process, from concept development through formulation, testing, and commercialization.
  • Lead formulation and development of starch and starchless gummies, marshmallows, and other confectionery formats (e.g., chews, jellies, pastilles), with capsules and powders a plus, ensuring products are delicious, safe, and consistently manufacturable at scale.
  • Be hands-on in the lab and on the production floor — running trials, troubleshooting batches, and working directly alongside R&D and manufacturing teams to solve real-time problems.
  • Serve as a primary technical and strategic point of contact for clients, building strong, trust-based relationships and clearly translating client needs into actionable development plans.
  • Lead product tastings and sensory evaluations, analyzing and recording results in a rigorous, data-driven manner to guide formulation decisions.
  • Collaborate closely with the Regulatory team on formulations and claim substantiation to ensure compliance and marketability.
  • Maintain and continuously build out the branded ingredient and raw material database, researching ingredients based on functional and physical properties.
  • Partner with Quality on new product specifications, change controls, and label initiation forms.
  • Scope and evaluate secondary contract manufacturers to match and scale existing formulations.
  • Forge and maintain relationships with key suppliers and the purchasing team to stay ahead of ingredient, technology, and packaging trends.
  • Guide and mentor junior R&D and product development team members as the team scales.
  • Bring a solutions-first, customer-facing mindset to every stage of development — identifying obstacles early and driving practical, timely resolutions.
  • Represent Gummi World's innovation capabilities in client and prospect meetings, building confidence and long-term partnerships.
  • Contribute to innovation, troubleshooting, and brainstorming for future platform growth in key consumer need-states.
  • Maintain professional and technical expertise through regulatory training, industry publications, professional networks, and relevant societies.
  • Support broader company growth initiatives, acting as a strategic partner to Business Development and executive leadership.
QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) from a 4-year accredited institution in Food Science, Biology, Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field; advanced degree a plus.
  • 8+ years of experience in R&D, Product Development, Manufacturing, and/or Quality Assurance within the food and/or supplement industry, including experience operating at a senior or leadership level.
  • Advanced, hands-on knowledge of confectionery formulation — starch and starchless gummies required; marshmallows and other confectionery formats (e.g., chews, jellies, pastilles) strongly preferred; capsules and powders a plus — with a proven track record developing clean-label, delicious products at commercial scale.
  • Demonstrated experience leading or building a product development function, including mentoring team members and establishing scalable processes.
  • Strong, demonstrated customer-facing experience — comfortable presenting to clients, understanding their needs, and translating those needs into technical solutions.
  • High emotional intelligence with excellent interpersonal skills; able to build trust quickly with clients, suppliers, manufacturers, and internal teams.
  • Strong analytical, written, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage complex technical information and multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment.
  • Industry-leading understanding of ingredient functionality, product evaluation, health and nutrition, food manufacturing processes, microbiology, and quality assurance principles.
  • Demonstrated technical sales experience with a wide range of clients preferred.
  • A genuinely hands-on, solutions-oriented approach — willing to be in the lab, on the floor, and in front of the client as needed.
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
  • Full-time, in-person role based at Gummi World's Chandler, AZ facility.
  • Regular time split between lab/R&D space, production floor, and office/administrative work.
  • Frequent client-facing interactions, including in-person meetings, tastings, and presentations.
  • Some travel may be required to support client visits, supplier meetings, or contract manufacturer evaluations.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
  • Gummi World's product pipeline consistently delivers delicious, high-quality, and commercially scalable formulations.
  • Clients see this role as a trusted technical partner who understands their needs and delivers on them.
  • Cross-functional teams — Regulatory, Quality, Manufacturing, and Business Development — view this role as a collaborative, solutions-first leader.
  • New products move efficiently from concept to commercialization with minimal rework or delay.
  • The product development function matures and scales as Gummi World grows, with clear processes and a strengthening team.
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