R&D/Quality Associate or Manager for a Consumer Food Brand

About Company

Our client is one of the strongest Consumer brands in the Bakery category, having a 25000 sq ft state-of-the-art centralized manufacturing facility with European equipment near Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The founding team consists of a ‘Master Baker’ from Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, one of the finest culinary institutes in the world and an IIM-A alumni with a McKinsey background.

Job Description:

1. Product Development:

- Includes new product development, product improvement, process improvement and optimization.

- Formulate bakery recipes for products such as cakes, cookies and dough in general that will deliver optimal flavor systems which comply with cost, product concept design, and regulatory and sensory requirements. 

- Create recipes that are consistent with the company philosophy of “honest dough” that optimize the taste experience and achieve preference in testing with target consumers

- Develop and implements the technical plans for multiple food development projects simultaneously

- Project work includes all phases of New Product Development from initial prototype development, to pilot plant scale, to full-scale commercialization.

- Design and executes experiments, analyze and interprets data to make sound technical recommendations for specific projects

- Prepare prototype food products using the research lab, pilot lab, manufacturing facilities and equipment as required.

- Provide solutions to a wide range of challenges by applying technical knowledge and experience

- Collaboration with cross-functional teams and technical peers, throughout the development of new products and processes

- Develop and implements cost savings ideas through formula and process optimization.

- Projects like improving certain product attributes like nutritional value, shelf- life etc

- Training the workforce on the new products and processes, making product barcode labels and supervising the production of the pilot batch.

1. Quality Assurance:

- Includes all areas and processes of the plant like production, packaging, raw material inspection etc.

- Ensuring regulatory compliance

- Conducting regular internal audits

1. Raw Material Quality Control:

- Supervision of all raw material quality checks and inspections including food ingredients, water, packaging material, cleaning supplies etc.

- Ensuring proper documentation is maintained

1. Finished Product Testing:

- Sending products for testing including nutritional information, a shelf- life, quality etc. and documenting the same

- Suggesting any health/nutritional claims or taking corrective action (if required) based on the tests

1. Miscellaneous:

- Other miscellaneous tasks like creating content for product packaging, description etc.

- Coordination of external visits, audits, training, workshops etc.

Qualification, Experience, and Skills required:

•  2- 4 years experience in a food manufacturing environment and QC Lab
• B.Sc. or equivalent degree in Food discipline.
• Previous Project Management experience.
• Strong leader with good interpersonal and communications skills with the ability to communicate across departments/suppliers and external customers.
• Strong organizational, and project management skills to assist with critical path deadlines and project priorities.
• Working knowledge of the factory and raw materials currently used on site.
• Can effectively time manage -  to structure the team's day efficiently with regards to differing priorities/workloads as well as working to tight deadlines.
• Hardworking and passionate with an eye for detail.
• Ability to problem solve