Job Context
This role operates within a fast-paced, high-volume food manufacturing environment, providing technical support across multiple production facilities. The position requires independent decision-making to ensure uninterrupted operations while driving continuous improvement in product quality, process efficiency, and cost optimization. Working collaboratively with cross-functional stakeholders, the role supports laboratory operations, regulatory compliance, technical analysis, and knowledge sharing through staff training. The incumbent must be adaptable to different manufacturing sites based on business requirements and capable of performing both laboratory and production floor activities, including the safe handling of samples, ingredients, and equipment.
Key Result Areas
- Conduct scientific research and design experiments to investigate technical problems, gather and interpret analytical data, and translate findings into actionable technical solutions. Write comprehensive scientific reports documenting methodologies, data analysis, conclusions, and recommendations to support decision-making and knowledge transfer across teams.
- Provide timely technical support to kitchen production units to prevent operational delays, and ensure continuous, uninterrupted support to the business.
- Present technical findings, experimental data, and proposed solutions to direct stakeholders, clearly communicating the rationale behind recommendations, experimental outcomes, and their impact on product quality, cost, and operational efficiency.
- Coordinate routine shelf-life studies, including scheduling sample pull points, conducting physico-chemical testing, and compiling preliminary data trends for review by the reporting manager.
- In coordination with procurement, conduct technical evaluation and trials of alternate suppliers and new or innovative ingredients within the target food application to ensure they meet required quality standards and support supply chain resilience, cost savings and product improvement opportunities.
- Ensure lab readiness and data integrity by conducting analyses and tests for ongoing projects and overseeing equipment maintenance, calibration and inventory.
- Maintain and update procedural SOPs, and the central database for project data, sensory results and customer complaints, and support the training of team members on lab procedures.
- Deliver basic food science fundamentals training to production staff by elevating the overall technical competence of the operational teams and reducing quality deviations on the production floor.
- Collaborate effectively with cross-functional stakeholders, including production units requesting food technology support, Sourcing Solutions, Food Safety, Health & Dietetics, Quality, and the Commercial team, to align technical activities with business needs.
Education Qualification:
- Bachelor's degree in Food Technology, Food Science, or equivalent qualification (Mandatory)
- Master's degree in Food Technology, Food Science, or a related discipline (Preferred)
Work Experience:
- Years of Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience with 3 years of minimum in the food industry.
- Experience in food product development, formulation, prototype development, and ingredient functionality evaluation.
- Hands-on experience in scale-up, plant trials, commercialization, shelf-life studies, and technical problem-solving within food manufacturing environments.
- Experience working collaboratively with Production, Quality, Food Safety, Sourcing, and R&D teams, including laboratory operations, technical documentation, and supplier coordination.
Skills:
- Strong knowledge of food formulation, ingredient functionality, and product development principles.
- Hands-on experience with laboratory operations, analytical testing, and interpretation of technical data.
- Knowledge of food safety standards, quality systems, and manufacturing compliance requirements.
- Experience in scale-up, process validation, and commercialization within food manufacturing environments.
- Strong problem-solving, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement capabilities.
- Effective communication, technical reporting, and stakeholder collaboration skills.
- Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and support training or mentoring of junior team member
