R&D Process Engineer - Farmer's Fridge Careers

Farmer’s Fridge makes fruits and vegetables accessible and approachable for everyone. We offer a variety of fresh, healthy, ready-to-eat meals and snacks through our fresh food vending machines, wholesale partners, and our office pantry solution — providing chef-curated meals to customers within seconds. Today, we operate a network of Fridges and partner with clients nationwide in high-foot-traffic areas, such as airports, hospitals, universities, and large office buildings — where there is limited accessibility to fresh, healthy, grab-n-go options.

We care deeply about what we’re creating and aspire to make sure our customers feel that through every touchpoint. This shows up in many ways across the business. We are committed to prioritizing food safety, we are passionate about product quality, we value our employees, we champion the best idea no matter where it comes from, and we’re committed to making an overall positive impact as we scale. 

About this Role:

The R&D Process Engineer is responsible for bringing new products to life in our production environment by bridging the gap between Menu R&D and Operations. You’ll lead activities to ensure launch readiness of new products and categories, and develop the processes and supporting documentation to standardize these processes.. The R&D Commercialization Engineer will partner closely with peers on both our Menu R&D and Operations teams to ensure new products are feasible in our production environment, consistent, and efficient. In this role, you will also be a key stakeholder in scoping new equipment to enable capacity and efficiency gains as we scale. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in the food industry and process engineering, a passion for building and implementing systems, and a proven track record of successfully bringing new products and processes to life.

What You’ll Do:

• Bridge the gap between Menu R&D and Operations functions:
  • Act as liaison between corporate (Marketing, Merchandising, R&D) and operations stakeholders (Production, QFS, Procurement, Continuous Improvement) and advocate for production partners
  • In partnership with operations and planning, manage the calendar for R&D activities within a production environment
  • Support plant management and corporate stakeholders in following a stage gate process for new product launches and reformulations
• New product development and continuous improvement:
  • Coordinate and lead technical scoping and testing of new initiatives related to new product development, continuous improvement, and improving operational targets like throughput and cost
  • Develop the tools and standard operating procedures for production processes and provide support for plant teams to execute against
  • Lead production pilot runs and capture data to validate that new products meet cost, efficiency, and operational targets and guardrails
  • Ensure standard operating procedures exist and are rolled out to production teams
• Cross-functional Collaboration:
  • Foster effective communication and collaboration across departments to ensure seamless coordination between R&D and production
  • Evaluate and optimize new product initiatives in partnership with production teams 
  • Develop processes in alignment with operations counterparts
• Project Reporting:
  • Generate regular project status share-outs for senior management, highlighting key milestones, risks, and opportunities
  • Conduct analysis on new product optimization, equipment return, and efficiency opportunities

 What are we looking for in an R&D Process Engineer?

• 5-7+ years of experience in manufacturing, food manufacturing is preferred
• Strong candidates will have experience in plant operations, engineering, R&D or operations excellence roles
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field. 
• Strong analytical skills required, with competency in Excel to build models and demonstrate findings to partners
• Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple work streams and priorities
• Strong problem solver with ability to manage competing priorities through excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Self-Driven. You are a highly motivated self-starter who can think independently yet work as a team player in a cross-functional and highly collaborative environment.
• Fearless of Pressure. You work well under pressure and are focused on delivering timely results and hitting tight deadlines.

Farmer’s Fridge Diversity Statement:

"Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Farmer’s Fridge, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.”

Benefits at Farmer's Fridge:

In This Together - We stay connected, whether in person or virtually. We encourage business transparency through monthly town hall meetings and weekly financial updates. We set out to make the best product on the market, and we believe we’ve done it. We value your input in the new menu creation process. From regular tasting panels, where employees provide new menu menu feedback. 

Happier Workdays - Each day at work should fill you with joy. We're a fun and passionate group, and we don't take ourselves too seriously. Bring your unique self to work, dress comfortably, and always feel free to share your thoughts and opinions. We encourage curiosity; there's no hierarchy here when we're all swapping ideas.  

Never run on empty - Daily Farmer's Fridge meal and office snacks are just some of the offerings to make sure you aren't distracted by a growling stomach. Recharge with our paid sabbatical program after four years of service. 

Innovate & Elevate - We're all teachers and learners. You'll grow, and help grow the company through cross-functional collaboration, open access to leadership, and regular business updates. You have a direct impact on the company’s bottom line. You can also impact your personal bottom line by participating in our 401(k) plan that includes a company match with immediate vesting.

Farmer’s Fridge Diversity Statement:

"Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Farmer’s Fridge, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.”

Farmer’s Fridge is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices, including hiring, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. View our disclosures related to External Agencies and Applicants below: https://www.farmersfridge.com/careerdisclosures