Food Research Development Jobs in Rialto, CA (NOW HIRING)

Samyang America stands as the #1 Gen Z brand, boldly shaping the future of food culture with innovative flavors, viral trends, and unforgettable brand experiences. We don’t just create food - we craft moments that spark excitement, inspire connection, and celebrate bold individuality.

Our mission is to bring daring, delicious products to the market that resonate deeply with the next generation of food lovers. From iconic spicy noodles to creative new launches, we are driven by passion, creativity, and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of taste and culture.

At Samyang America, you’ll join a dynamic team that thrives on innovation, collaboration, and a shared love for bold flavor experiences. We value fresh ideas, energetic spirit, and the courage to lead trends rather than follow them.

If you’re ready to be part of a brand that’s more than just food - a brand that moves culture and creates unforgettable moments - join our team today!

Position Summary: We are looking for a Sr. Director, Consumer Strategy, Innovation & Intelligence who will be responsible for building and scaling the company’s foundational understanding of consumers, culture, and future growth opportunities.This role owns the insight engines that fuel strategy and innovation—from trends and cultural listening, to segmentation and demand space mapping, to concept development, innovation validation, and in-market learning. The Director ensures that consumer understanding is not episodic, but systematic, predictive, and embedded across brand, innovation, and portfolio decisions.Reporting to the VP of Strategy & Intelligence, this role partners closely with Brand, Innovation/R&D, Marketing, and Regional teams, and may directly manage a team of insights specialists and external research partners.

Key Responsibilities:

Consumer Understanding & Strategic Foresight

• Lead enterprise-wide consumer understanding across Americas and sometimes, global markets.

• Own trend, cultural, and behavioral intelligence—integrating social listening, cultural analysis, desk research, and emerging signals.

• Translate macro and micro trends into foresight frameworks that inform long-term strategy and innovation pipelines.

• Serve as the authority on why consumers behave as they do and where future growth will come from.

Segmentation, Demand Spaces & Growth Frameworks

• Lead the design and refresh of consumer, need-state, and occasion-based segmentations.

• Develop demand space and Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) frameworks to identify whitespace opportunities.

• Ensure segmentation is actionable—embedded into brand strategy, innovation briefs, portfolio architecture, and go-to-market decisions.

• Partner with Strategy and Analytics leaders to connect segments to sizing, prioritization, and investment decisions.

Innovation, Concept & NPD Intelligence

• Own the consumer intelligence agenda supporting innovation—from early ideation to post-launch optimization.

• Lead concept development, screening, and refinement using both qualitative and quantitative methods.

• Guide innovation pipelines with clear consumer-backed rationale, trade-offs, and success criteria.

• Partner with R&D, Brand, and Commercial teams to ensure innovation is both desirable, differentiated, and scalable.

In-Market Learning & Optimization

• Establish systems for ongoing in-market learning—tracking brand health, communication effectiveness, and innovation performance.

• Integrate post-launch insights to refine positioning, claims, and execution.

• Ensure learning loops are fast, actionable, and directly inform course correction.

• Balance rigor with agility, enabling “test-and-learn” cultures across brands and markets.

Research Excellence & Methodology Leadership

• Set standards for research quality, innovation, and relevance across quantitative and qualitative methods.

• Oversee the design and execution of foundational and ad hoc research (U&A, segmentation, brand health, pricing, innovation).

• Champion modern approaches including social intelligence, behavioral science, and hybrid qual–quant-AI methods.

• Manage internal capabilities, relationships with research vendors, platforms, and partners to ensure best-in-class delivery.

Leadership, Talent & Capability Building

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of consumer insights and innovation intelligence professionals (as applicable).

• Build a culture of curiosity, rigor, and strategic impact.

• Partner with other Directors within Strategy & Intelligence to ensure seamless integration of consumer insight, analytics, and commercial strategy.

• Act as a visible thought leader internally, elevating how the organization understands and applies consumer insight.

Executive Influence & Collaboration

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on consumer-led growth and innovation decisions

• Present insights and foresight clearly to executive audiences, shaping strategic alignment.

• Facilitate workshops and strategic sessions to translate insight into action.

• Ensure Strategy & Intelligence is viewed as a growth partner, not a research service.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Psychology, Anthropology, Economics, or related field (Master’s, MBA, or PhD equivalent preferred)

• 13+ years of experience in Consumer Insights, Strategy, Innovation, or related leadership roles within CPG or consumer-driven industries

• Proven experience leading foundational consumer understanding, segmentation, and innovation intelligence

• Strong command of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies

• Experience embedding consumer insight into brand strategy, innovation pipelines, and portfolio decisions

• Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders with insight-backed recommendations

• Comfort operating at enterprise scale and across global markets

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with breadth of insights, and human-centric strategy frameworks

• US Multi-National and International experience across Americas or global markets

• Experience leading and developing insights teams

• Background in food & beverage, snacks, or culturally driven categories

• Experience modernizing insights functions or standing up new capabilities

The base salary for this position is between $180,000.00 and $200,000.00 per year. Actual compensation will depend on a variety of factors, including qualifications, experience, and location. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation and benefits, including an annual incentive bonus, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, PTO/FTO, and a 401(k) plan with company match.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer:

Samyang America is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We do not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.