R&D Lead (Pet Food)

Our client, a multinational manufacturing company specialising in animal health and nutrition, particularly in food palatability, is seeking an R&D Lead. In this pivotal role within the global Research & Development team, you will drive product sciences to develop new products and scale up new technologies.

You will focus on raw material supply assurance, manage critical risk factors in product development, and provide technical support to operations. Your primary responsibility will be to create new palatants that meet the needs of internal and external stakeholders, enhancing the product portfolio. You will report directly to the Global Head of Product Sciences.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of new products, focusing on dry dog and cat palatants, to support the Science & Technology pipeline strategy
• Guide multi-disciplinary teams through innovation projects from concept to execution
• Utilise deep expertise in raw materials, particularly yeast, to develop robust models for new product development
• Conduct lab work to create and evaluate new dry products using analytical techniques (e.g., NIR, colourimeter)
• Optimise and enhance existing technologies to improve product capability, quality, and manufacturing efficiency
• Collaborate with external partners, such as suppliers and research institutions, to leverage external knowledge in product development
• Develop and execute trial plans and risk management processes for new product development and implementation
• Work closely with Regulatory Affairs to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards throughout the development process
• Lead pilot plant spray drying activities, optimising drying conditions and product stability
• Partner with Process Sciences to manage critical processing risks and ensure seamless transition from concept to production
• Use expertise in dry processing techniques (blending and drying) to upscale recipes from lab to factory, ensuring product quality, stability, and consistency
• Provide product support to manufacturing sites with detailed technical knowledge of process-product interactions
• Perform data analysis on experimental designs and analytical trials
• Communicate key project findings (both written and verbal) to the project team and stakeholders for decision-making

Qualifications:

• BSc/MSc in Food/ Chemical Engineering, Technology, or a related Science discipline
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in food technologies, including product development and scale-up
• Strong understanding of food technology, chemistry, microbiology, food assurance, and sensory science through academic and practical experiences
• Experience in formulating recipes and using spray drying technology, including knowledge of glass transition
• Proficient in research methods, experimental designs, and data analysis
• Familiarity with good project management principles and their application in daily/ multiple projects
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
• Basic understanding of food manufacturing practices and quality standards