Product Development Manager

Job description

About the role Ritual is looking for a Product Development Manager to support innovation, new product development as well as brand maintenance. In this role, you’ll apply your expertise to manage nutrition innovations, ideation, and the development of science-based product formulas. This role is highly cross-functional, you will partner with Innovation strategy, Science, QA, Reg and Operations to innovate and develop products for successful launches. Someone with a passion for traceability and transparency from formulation to customer communication is highly desirable. This is a great opportunity to join a rapidly expanding organization and take on responsibilities that are key to our continued growth. What you'll do Product Development Ownership Collaborate on projects and develop products with internal R&D teams, third party contract manufacturers/formulation labs, and flavor houses. Drive formulation, product development and scale up from concept to launch utilizing Stage-GATE processes. Conduct product review assessments to define success criteria for pilot and production runs Lead and coordinate prototype work, sensory evaluations over multiple product formats (capsules, powders, and others). Manage product testing, utilizing expertise and experience for testing product efficacy, validating new claims and developing product specifications. Cross-Functional Leadership Work closely with Marketing and Regulatory Affairs leadership to support marketing initiatives and brand assets (i.e. label copy, web content, marketing collateral etc.) Collaborate with project leaders, project managers, and operations teams to drive projects to meet cost targets and launch dates. Continuous Improvement Actively work on continuous improvement plans interpreting consumer insights to revise existing products. Proactively stay on top of key product and regulatory trends that can unlock growth opportunities for our business in the product, ingredient or communications space. Who you are Operational Excellence: Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously. Passion for Science: You apply rigorous logic, experimentation, and data to support claims and innovation. Product-Minded: You bridge user needs, business context, and execution to deliver features and solutions that work—and measure what matters. Technical Acumen: You bring deep knowledge in your area (e.g., science, engineering, operations, analytics) and apply it to real-world challenges. Insight-Gatherer: You seek diverse data sources, customer insights, and frontline perspectives before forming conclusions. High-growth Mindset: Thrive in a fast-paced, evolving startup environment with changing priorities and ambiguity. Empowered Collaborator: You move beyond identifying issues to co-create practical, scalable solutions with stakeholders. You take ownership of your commitments and support shared outcomes. What you'll need Education: BS in Pharmaceutical Science, Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or other related science. Experience: 3+ years product development, formulation chemistry, commercialization, other related science. Experience in the nutraceutical and supplement industry is a must. Strong experience in developing different formats including capsules, powders and other VMS formats Expertise in developing product specifications, product protocols, risk analysis and product reviews. Experience with evaluating flavors and product sensory evaluation Knowledge of ingredient efficacy, raw material qualification programs, cGMP, regulatory affairs, stage-gate processes, consumer insights, and project management. Good to have nutraceutical supplier contacts and an ingredient database. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every qualification listed above. We're committed to building a diverse team and recognize that skills can be developed in many different ways. Compensation Pay Range: $132,000 - $165,000 Your base salary is one part of your total compensation package. The salary range represents the entire compensation range for this position. Exact compensation will depend on a number of factors, which may include the successful candidate's skills, level, years of experience, technical expertise, and other qualifications. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. This role is also eligible for equity + generous benefits + 401k + unlimited PTO etc - see our list of perks/ benefits below. What We Offer Health & Wellness Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Healthcare & Dependent Care FSA Mental health support via Wellness Coach and Calm Health Pet insurance discount 10 Wellness Days per Year (Final Friday of every month) Free Ritual subscription during your tenure Annual Wellness Stipend Monthly wellness activities Financial & Career Support 401(k) Match (up to 4%) Equity participation through stock options Monthly Technology Stipend New Hire Work From Home Stipend Family & Flexibility 5 months of gender-neutral parental leave for eligible team members Flex Time for birthing parents Family Planning via Maven Clinic Monthly Childcare Allowance Time Off Unlimited PTO (with a 10-day minimum to recharge) 11 Paid Company Holidays Additional company time off for holidays that fall around a weekend Winter Break (Christmas - New Years) Holiday Diversity Policy 2 Days to volunteer (Days of Action) Focus Fridays for self-development and deep work About Ritual Ritual is a personal health brand that is raising the bar for daily wellness. Known for our best-selling, clinically backed prenatal, we create science-backed supplements with transparency at their core. We believe women deserve products they can trust, backed by real evidence—not just promises. We started by reinventing the multivitamin with the first visible supply chain of its kind. Today, we’re expanding into new categories with the same high standards that built our reputation. Hundreds of thousands trust Ritual, and we’re growing fast. Our team of 120+ scientists, creatives, and skeptics is raising the bar for women’s health. We’re venture-backed, based in sunny Los Angeles, and always looking for people ready to challenge the industry—and do the best work of their careers.