R&D Project Manager at Nestlé

At Nestlé Nutrition & Health, our mission is to nurture a Healthier Generation. We aim to achieve this by leading the way in Research and Development of science proven nutrition solutions and by partnering with parents and healthcare professionals around the world. From pre-conception to adulthood, we are widening our reach and opening up new opportunities across the lifelong nutrition journey.

Position Snapshot

Location: Konolfingen, Switzerland

Company: Nestlé Product & Technology Center (NPTC) Nutrition & Health
Act. Rate: Full-Time Act. Rate 100%
Type of contract: Permanent contract

What we offer at Nestlé

Exciting opportunities to develop your career your way; across different brands, businesses, functions, and regions.

Flexible working arrangements - facilitating creativity and collaboration

A culture of respect, with diversity, equity and inclusion at its core. Learn more here.

A dynamic international environment empowering you to learn, develop and grow.

Don’t hesitate to connect with us during the recruitment process to learn more.

Position Summary

As an R&D Project Manager, you will be responsible for leading medium-sized R&D projects for the category Adult & Maternal nutrition with high business impact from concept to delivery. In this role, you will drive projects in line with the I2L framework, Nestlé Continuous Excellence, and Health & Wellness initiatives. You will collaborate closely with business, operations, and technical stakeholders to ensure project objectives are met, balancing quality, time, and cost. Acting as a central connector, you will proactively manage scope, risks, and resources while fostering strong cross-functional collaboration. Your work will directly contribute to the commercial success of current and future innovations, supported by robust stakeholder engagement and disciplined project execution.

A Day in the Life of an R&D Project Manager

• Lead R&D projects end-to-end following the I2L process.
• Manage project scope, timelines, budget, risks, and deliverables.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams across R&D, business, and operations.
• Ensure products and processes meet quality, cost, and time objectives.
• Support decision-making through clear recommendations and data-driven insights.
• Develop and coach project team members to build sustainable capabilities.
• Engage stakeholders to ensure alignment and timely decisions.
• Leverage expert networks and external partners to accelerate innovation.

What will make you successful

• Master’s degree in food science, engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in R&D, including at least 3 years in project management.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional teams in a matrix organization.
• Strong project management, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and challenge constructively when needed.
• Solid understanding of I2L processes and product briefing practices.
• Exposure to regulatory, quality, costing, and intellectual property environments.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are a strong advantage.

Nestlé is committed to the accessibility of its recruitment process. If you require an adaptation during the recruitment process, please do let us know so we can support you effectively. All information will be treated confidentially.

At Nestlé Research and Development in Konolfingen near Bern / Switzerland, we develop for Nestlé worldwide, new products, processes and packaging concepts for a broad range of products of our Nutrition, Dairy, Health Science and Coffee businesses. In addition, we also provide technical assistance to our factories.