R&D Technical Manager - Enterprise Cheese

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Job Title: R&D Technical Manager - Enterprise Cheese
Location: Arden Hills, MN, Midwest United States, USA

Company: Land O Lakes
Industry Sector: Agribusiness
Industry Type: Input Retail, Cooperative and Related Crop Services
Job Type: Full Time

Job Description: As stated in the Land O'Lakes Job Posting policy, all employees who post for an internal opening must inform their current manager at the time they apply.

Our growth relies on our extraordinary talent. Unlock your greatest potential at Land O'Lakes by continuing to make a difference, driving results and growing your career.

R&D Technical Manager - Enterprise Cheese

The Technical Manager will lead our Cheese Technologist team, providing both people leadership and technical expertise. As part of a fully integrated cross-functional team, the Technical Manager will collaborate closely with Packaging R&D, Processing R&D, Culinary, Tech Services, Sourcing, Quality, Engineering, Marketing, and Operations. This role is dual focused on project execution, ensuring the successful delivery of key development projects and generating a pipeline of new ideas, as well as people leadership, including onboarding, development opportunities, project guidance, and performance reviews. The Technical Manager will oversee five technologist direct reports across both the Natural and Process Cheese & Sauces teams.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
Act as a key Product R&D resource for one or more business units
Develop product from benchtop through commercialization to meet customer/consumer requirements
Build strong relationships with key functional partners in order to support new product launches and other key initiatives
Proactively lead collaboration with cross-functional partners to determine product innovation and cost savings opportunities
Conduct and/or manage benchtop, pilot plant, plant trials and lab testing, and analyses to validate and advance technical/product opportunities
Provide effective communication and documentation of work (including technical testing plans, plant trial and lab reports, specifications, ELN, and team updates)
Apply scientific principles and statistics to solve problems and make data-based decisions
Build and leverage depth of food science knowledge to drive innovation and margin improvements
Collaborate and influence both internally and externally
Provide coaching and technical guidance for employees while helping to remove project hurdles
Understand employee's IDPs and provide development opportunities
Provide feedback on employees' performances (both informal and formal feedback)
Navigate unique dynamics of both Natural and Process Cheese teams and their projects
Help develop a culture of innovation and technical rigor within R&D
Fully onboard new employees, as needed
Assist Process Cheese & Sauces Manager in determining project support capacity in P2P

QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's degree, or higher, in Food Science or relevant degree - required
Master's degree - preferred
5 or more years related work experience - required.
Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suites to include Word, Excel and Powerpoint - required
Power BI and Minitab system experience - preferred
People leadership experience is highly preferred
Technical knowledge of Process Cheese and/or strong desire to expand product knowledge
Ability to lead multiple projects in a cross-functional environment while delivering significant results
Desire to challenge the status quo in order to discover new approaches
Ability to effectively communicate and influence team members
Desire to develop and coach others
Self-starter with a high degree of initiative; works with a sense of urgency
Strong conflict management skills

Salary range: $91,120 - $136,680 (in most cases, candidates offered employment can expect to be hired at a pay rate near the middle of our salary ranges)

Grade:

E11

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Job Post Date: 07/09/25