VP, R&D chez Wonder

About the role

We are looking for an exceptional and visionary Vice President of Research & Development (R&D) to lead our culinary innovation and product development strategy across all current and future menu categories. This executive-level leader will own the full innovation pipeline, driving new product strategy, culinary development, and cross-functional execution from concept to commercialization. The ideal candidate brings a unique blend of culinary expertise, technical R&D knowledge, and business acumen—paired with the ability to build and lead high-performing teams and deliver breakthrough menu innovation at scale.

Key Responsibilities 

Strategic Leadership & Innovation Vision

• Define and lead the long-term R&D strategy aligned with brand goals, guest insights, and emerging market trends.

• Build and manage the innovation roadmap for all food and beverage categories, balancing near-term opportunities with long-term growth platforms.

• Drive a culture of innovation, creativity, and culinary excellence across the organization.

Menu & Product Development

• Oversee development of core and new menu items—from ideation and culinary development to testing and launch—ensuring guest appeal, brand alignment, operational feasibility, and financial viability.

• Lead the creation of new category platforms and evolutions of existing menu lines, including seasonal innovation and limited-time offers (LTOs).

• Guide flavor, format, and ingredient innovation through a lens of scalability and differentiation.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Marketing, Supply Chain, Operations, QA, and Finance to bring products to market seamlessly and successfully.

• Serve as a key voice at the leadership table, providing culinary and R&D expertise to inform business decisions, go-to-market strategy, and brand positioning.

• Champion innovation processes and best practices that accelerate speed-to-market while maintaining high quality and consistency.

Team & Organizational Development

• Build, lead, and mentor a diverse and high-performing R&D team including chefs, food scientists, product developers, and technical experts.

• Foster an environment of collaboration, experimentation, and continuous learning.

• Manage external vendor and supplier relationships to support product development and sourcing strategy.

Innovation Infrastructure & Testing

• Oversee test kitchen and R&D lab operations, tools, and resources.

• Guide consumer testing, sensory evaluation, and validation protocols to ensure product quality and guest satisfaction.

• Monitor performance of new product launches and iterate accordingly.

The experience you have

• 15+ years of progressive experience in culinary R&D, food innovation, or product development, with significant leadership responsibility.

• Culinary degree or food science background required; advanced business or technical degree is a strong plus.

• Proven success in launching new platforms and products at scale, ideally within multi-unit restaurant, foodservice, or CPG environments.

• Expertise in culinary trends, food technology, product lifecycle management, and commercialization processes.

• Exceptional leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills.

• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and inspire cross-functional collaboration.

Base Salary:

New York: $290,000 - 349,500

Wonder uses geographic-specific salary structures, which means the salary offered may vary depending on where the job is located. The final salary offer will take into account various factors, such as the candidate's skills, education, training, credentials, and experience.

Benefits

We offer a competitive salary package including equity and 401K. Additionally, we provide multiple medical, dental, and vision plans to meet all of our employees' needs as well as many benefits and perks that are not listed.  

A final note 

At Wonder, we believe that in order to build the best team, we must hire using an objective lens.  We are committed to fair hiring practices where we hire people for their potential and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.  As such, we do not discriminate or make decisions based on your race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, marital status, disability, or any other protected class.  If you have a disability, please let your recruiter know how we can make your interview process work best for you.

We look forward to hearing from you! We'll contact you via email or text to schedule interviews and share information about your candidacy.