Director, Product & Process Engineering

Job Summary

The Director, Product & Process Engineering at Unreal is a critical product leadership position responsible for supporting product innovation and optimization, and long-term technical resilience across our growing product portfolio. As a key partner to the Founder and Product R&D team, this role owns the technical execution of key product commercialization initiatives that uphold Unreal’s standards of quality and productivity.

In this role you will leverage your expertise in product and process engineering to support project efforts from the Founder’s successful pilot trials through scale-up and launch, as well as to lead continuous product and process improvements within the existing Unreal portfolio. This includes analyzing and optimizing production processes, designing and implementing capital projects, and delivering scalable, cost-effective solutions that support growth and product experience excellence.

Ideal candidates bring 10+ years of experience in food product process development and engineering, deep technical expertise in key production methods, and hands-on experience scaling better-for-you products. Critical skills include problem-solving for quality, scale, and cost reduction; cross-functional collaboration with manufacturing and supplier partners; and translating R&D and Operational insights into commercial success.

This role is designed for a driven, execution-oriented leader who thrives at the intersection of R&D, process engineering, and operations, and who is motivated to advance Unreal’s mission through innovation and manufacturing excellence.

The Director, Product & Process Engineering will be a vital member of the Unreal Product R&D team and report to the Senior Director, Product, while interfacing with the Founder and external partners regularly. This is a remote-first position that requires up to 50% travel.

What You’ll Do

• Bridge internal and external relationships while driving excellence in product manufacturing and experience, taking a people- and product-centric approach to leading company growth.
• Manage product commercialization by supporting early feasibility analysis through capital/technology/equipment analysis, scale-up, and commercialization, with a focus on optimizing existing core SKUs and supporting commercialization of new innovation projects.
• Bridge the handoff from Product R&D and industrial trials to full-on commercial production, with a detailed handoff of all technical support between Product R&D and Operations team as well as with manufacturing partners to support consistent everyday production.
• Lead documentation and record keeping efforts across all process parameters, defining troubleshooting guides and creating product manuals that ensure a successful transition from industrial trials to everyday production.
• Apply expertise with manufacturing partners, vendors, suppliers, and equipment companies to optimize existing manufacturing processes and ensure Unreal is operating as best-in-class for product quality, cost, scale, throughputs and efficiencies. Analyze opportunities for cost savings, scrap reduction, and product experience improvements, and evolve products and processes where possible.
• Partner with Operations team to continuously evaluate and optimize manufacturing processes to meet increasing capacity requirements and deliver on technical specifications.
• Manufacture to Unreal standards by collaborating directly with the Founder to absorb institutional product knowledge and ensure alignment with Unreal’s historical standards and strategic objectives in all project executions. Make every bite matter, while improving operational and cost excellence.
• Travel as required to manufacturing sites and partners to oversee trials, support scale-up, and ensure technical feasibility of new partners, new formulas, and new suppliers.

Who You Are

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, or other related Food Technologies.
• 10+ years of experience in CPG manufacturing and engineering, with a minimum of 5 years focused in the confectionery chocolate and/or baking category or bar manufacturing.
• Prior experience leading process engineering and management at a manufacturing facility, with a robust understanding of co-man operations, including pricing, management of external relationships, and the needs specific to each co-man.
• Advanced knowledge of product development and manufacturing technologies, including confectionery gems, bars, enrobing, frozen cone, and molded chocolate formats.
• Strong passion for mission-driven brands committed to creating better-for-you products that make a positive impact on the world.
• Proven track record of leading and delivering complex, high-impact projects from brief to commercialization, ensuring timely execution and effective cross-functional collaboration.
• You are obsessed with product integrity and experience, most likely because you have a personal passion and commitment as a better-for-you consumer yourself
• Hands-on problem solver with expert level confidence working directly with co-manufacturers on the production floor.
• High EQ with exceptional relationship-building skills to manage, maintain, and evolve key co-manufacturer partnerships.
• Confident in leading sourcing and documentation efforts, with the professional maturity to know when to delegate or involve other team members.
• Strong communicator with disciplined follow-through and demonstrated ability to drive alignment, accountability, and momentum across senior level teams.
• Experience in high-growth, entrepreneurial environments is strongly preferred; exposure to founder-led organizations is a plus.
• You hold very high standards for yourself, expecting excellence in not only what you deliver, but how you deliver it as well.

While Unreal’s culture is remote-first, our team highly values occasional in-person collaboration. As a result, Unreal team members get together for departmental and company-wide events a few times per year. Employees at Unreal are expected to attend apart from extenuating circumstances.

The base compensation range for this position is between $180K - $200K annually. This position is also eligible for a 20% bonus. The salary range listed reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for this position. Individual compensation is determined by additional factors, including role-related experience and relevant education and certifications. Bonus payout is pro-rated to start date. Employees must be employed by September 30 of the calendar year to be eligible for bonus for that calendar year.