Job Title: Director, Product Development
Location: Durham, North Carolina or Salinas area, CA, USA
About Pairwise:
Pairwise is a mission-driven, food+tech company dedicated to building a healthier world through better fruits and vegetables. Pairwise was founded in 2017 by scientists at Harvard University, MIT, and Broad Institute who are eminent in the field of gene editing, as well as biotechnology industry pioneers. Our team is tuned in to consumer food trends, and we believe that consumers deserve more variety and innovation in their fresh food choices. We are primed to deliver that innovation through one of the best gene-editing platforms in food and agriculture. Pairwise has an exclusive 5-year research collaboration with Bayer to develop products in corn, soybean, wheat, canola, and cotton. Plus, Pairwise is developing new types of leafy greens, berries, and stone fruit, with the first product expected in late 2023. Pairwise is based in the start-up friendly Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina.
About This Role:
The Senior Director role is responsible, in collaboration with the senior Executive, Marketing and Commercial teams, for developing, implementing, and leading the company’s Product Development strategy. We’re looking for a leader to provide strategic thinking and planning across the organization, and to act as SME in the Product Development areas. This key role bridges across the organization and will work closely with senior R&D leadership to enhance product discovery through the company’s proprietary editing technologies. They will lead product development and optimization, as well as post-harvest process and packaging optimization, to deliver the final version of the first gene edited consumer focused products. The role will work hand in hand with senior Marketing and Commercial leaders to develop and deliver label claims, nutritional data and other essential data to support marketing claims, as well as to guide final product configuration and testing.
Essential Functions:
• Develop and deliver the product development pipeline across the company’s entire consumer crop portfolio, with an immediate focus on salads and consumer packaged leafy greens.
• Lead product development, configuration, and optimization; nutrition and sensory activities and claims; as well as post-harvest physiology and packaging optimization.
• Collaborate with senior Marketing leaders to guide product development activities to meet the needs of targeted market segments.
• Own the handoff between R&D and Commercial for the final, configured product.
• Support understanding of product fit and targets throughout the overall R&D organization.
• Lead and develop teams and their leaders, creating organizational clarity and alignment.
• Provide strategic leadership as a member of R&D’s senior team to effectively manage the organization.
Required Education & Experience:
• Masters in a relevant technical field, PhD preferred.
• 10+ years experience managing product development organizations focused on development of salads and consumer packaged leafy greens.
• Strong track record of delivering research outcomes tied to business objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to manage teams and create organizational clarity.
Offerings:
• Comprehensive Benefits Plan, including Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA/FSA, 401k, Life Insurance, Short-Term & Long-Term Disability, and more!
• Flexible PTO (use what you need, when you need it), in addition to company holidays.
• Casual work environment.
• Mission-driven organization focused on creating healthier fruits and veggies.
• A cutting-edge, driven community looking to lead the industry in innovation and nutrition.
EEO Statement:
We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.