R&D Supervisor / R&D Manager – Cooking Sauce

1. Job Purpose

Research, develop, and improve products within the Cooking Sauce category, including chili sauce, ketchup, dipping sauces, and various seasoning sauces, with a focus on export markets. Ensure that products meet requirements for quality, sensory attributes, food safety, regulatory compliance, cost efficiency, and large-scale industrial manufacturability in target markets.

2. Key Responsibilities

2.1. Product Research and Development

• Research and develop new formulations and improve existing formulations for chili sauces, ketchup, dipping sauces, and seasoning sauces in line with export business objectives.

• Develop formulations based on customer requirements, local taste preferences, consumer trends, and target quality standards in different markets.

• Conduct Lab/Pilot trials and evaluate and optimize product flavor, color, viscosity, texture, stability, and physicochemical properties.

• Research and evaluate raw materials, food additives, and technological solutions to improve product quality, optimize costs, and enhance product competitiveness.

2.2. Process Optimization and Production Transfer

• Collaborate with Production to conduct production line trials, scale-up activities, and transfer formulations from Lab/Pilot to industrial-scale manufacturing.

• Develop, update, and standardize formulations, raw material specifications, intermediate and finished product specifications, and manufacturing work instructions.

• Monitor, analyze, and troubleshoot technical issues arising during trials, production, and storage, and propose solutions to improve manufacturing processes.

• Evaluate product stability, shelf life, and the ability to maintain product quality during transportation, warehousing, and distribution in export markets.

2.3. Export Market Requirements

• Collaborate with Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance, and relevant departments to develop products that comply with target-market regulations on ingredients, food additives, allergens, food safety parameters, and other applicable requirements.

• Research and evaluate raw materials, formulations, and processing methods against the technical requirements and quality standards applicable to each target market or customer.

• Provide technical data, formulation records, product specifications, and relevant technical information to support product registration, evaluation, and approval for export markets.

• Coordinate the resolution of technical inquiries, quality feedback, and product modification requests from international customers and business partners.

2.4. Cross-functional Collaboration and Project Management

• Collaborate with Marketing, Export Sales, Regulatory Affairs, QA, Production, Procurement, and Packaging to execute product development projects from concept to commercialization.

• Assess the technical feasibility, raw material availability, cost, production capacity, and implementation timeline of each project.

• Track trial progress, consolidate results, and recommend corrective actions or solutions to ensure projects meet quality, cost, and time-to-market objectives.

3. Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or above in Food Technology, Biotechnology, Food Chemistry, or a related field.

• Experience in food product R&D, preferably in chili sauce, ketchup, dipping sauces, seasoning sauces, liquid seasonings, or processed food categories.

• Hands-on experience in formulation development, Lab/Pilot trials, sensory evaluation, raw material optimization, and formulation transfer to industrial-scale production.

• Good knowledge of raw materials, food additives, processing technologies, and factors affecting product quality, stability, food safety, and shelf life of sauce products.

• Knowledge of food safety management systems and regulatory requirements relevant to product development. Experience with export products is an advantage.

• Strong analytical and technical problem-solving skills, including the ability to analyze trial data and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

• Ability to read and understand technical documents in English. English communication skills are an advantage, particularly when working with international customers or business partners.