HEAD OF R&D

R&D Manager, Natural Derivatives [F&B] - Relocation to Greater Orlando Area

A prominent leader in the natural derivatives and flavors industry, specializing in high-quality products from citrus and other natural sources, is looking for a professional who will manage all technical aspects of the company's natural derivatives products.

In this role, you will be the primary R&D resource for new product development and the main technical point of contact for troubleshooting production issues.

You will work closely with other departments like Quality, Production, and Procurement to provide essential technical guidance, ensuring high-quality standards and efficient operations.

The position involves a blend of laboratory work, production support, and strategic input on everything - from raw material purchases to the acquisition of new equipment.

Responsibilities :

Manage all technical aspects of Natural Derivatives products, acting as the primary R&D resource for new product design and quality standards.

Provide technical input for all raw material purchases, analyzing quality data, and supporting the procurement team to define material characteristics.

Define final product blends and inventory batches based on customer specifications, utilizing chromatography, physicochemical, and sensory data to create recipes.

Guide distillation products for both the pilot-scale lab and external tollers, providing input for upscaling and fine-tuning process parameters.

Provide process input and assist production with defining manufacturing methods and protocols for final products.

Serve as the main technical resource for troubleshooting production issues, recommending remediation measures for products and processes that encounter abnormalities.

Define engineering concepts for the shop floor, preparing process information and basic specifications for new equipment and machinery.

Support the Quality and Production teams in all aspects of the industrial operation, including the interpretation of final product analytics.

Ensure the quality performance of finished products by striving for a high rate of acceptance of new product submissions and pre-shipment samples from customers.

Requirements :

MUST : College education in Chemistry, or Food Science

MUST : 8-10 years of experience in similar positions within citrus flavor operations (F&B industry).

MUST : Deep knowledge of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.

MUST : Proven experience in managing lab and production assets in the specific field.

Knowledge of apple essence processing is desirable.

Relocation from other states is possible for this opportunity.