Research and Development Officer (F&B Industry)

Job description:

Job Summary

The R&D Officer leads end-to-end product innovation, ensuring products meet quality, cost, operational, and margin targets while driving business impact. The role is empowered to make data-driven recommendations on product approval, modification, or discontinuation, directly influencing profitability and strategic goals, and works cross-functionally to drive standardization, continuous improvement, and operational alignment.

1. Operations Management

• Develop, test, and optimize product formulations, processes, and production methods.
• Lead the creation of new products and the improvement of existing ones from ideation through pilot testing to full-scale rollout.
• Conduct product trials, pilot runs, and scale-up testing in coordination with commissary and production teams.
• Ensure all products are feasible for mass production without compromising quality or consistency.
• Troubleshoot production issues related to product performance, quality, or process efficiency.
• Manage recipe costing and margin optimization, including detailed ingredient analysis, cost-benefit studies, and margin assessments to maximize contribution without compromising quality.
• Understand the P&L impact of R&D decisions and collaborate with management to align product strategies with financial and business objectives.

1. Food Safety & Sanitation

• Ensure all R&D activities comply with food safety, sanitation, and regulatory standards (e.g., GMP, HACCP).
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance to validate product safety, shelf life, and handling requirements.
• Promote proper hygiene and sanitation practices during R&D trials and testing.

1. Inventory & Supply Management

• Coordinate with purchasing and warehouse teams for sourcing of ingredients and materials for R&D.
• Monitor usage of R&D materials to minimize waste and control costs.
• Evaluate alternative ingredients and suppliers to improve quality, cost efficiency, or availability.

1. Team Leadership & Development

• Provide technical guidance and support to store restaurant managers and kitchen team leads.
• Coordinate with operations, QA, and production teams during product development and implementation.
• Share product knowledge, processes, and best practices with relevant teams.

1. Reporting & Documentation

• Prepare and maintain accurate documentation such as formulations, process flows, test results, and SOPs.
• Generate reports on product trials, costing and improvements.
• Ensure proper version control and traceability of R&D documents.

1. Continuous Improvements

• Identify opportunities for product enhancement, cost reduction, and process optimization.
• Monitor adherence to established standards and track customer feedback to identify and recommend continuous improvements.
• Maintain accurate reports on product trials, costing, margin analysis, and operational performance.
• Research industry trends, new ingredients, and emerging technologies.
• Support innovation initiatives and contribute to long-term product development strategies.

1. Others

• The R&D Officer is expected to perform any other duties or tasks assigned by the upper management that are necessary for the overall efficient operation of the department and the company, even if they are not explicitly covered in this job description.

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Technology, Culinary Arts, Nutrition, Business Management, or a related field (preferred).
• Minimum of 2–3 years of relevant experience in research and development, product innovation or food production environment.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and quality standards (e.g., GMP, HACCP, food regulatory compliance).
• Experience in product development, recipe standardization, and process improvement.
• Proficient in production planning, inventory control, and raw material costing.
• Ability to analyze data, conduct trials, and document R&D results accurately.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills for cross-functional team coordination.