Research And Development Manager - Bakery Plant

About the Role

The R&D Manager leads the development of new bakery products and the improvement of existing ones to support business growth, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction. This role ensures that new formulations are scalable for mass production, aligned with food safety regulations, cost targets, and high‑quality standards.

Responsibilities

• New Product Development (NPD) — Lead end-to-end development of new bakery products: ideation, formulation, prototyping, pilot testing, and production trials; transform customer or marketing briefs into workable product concepts; develop recipes with scalable manufacturing parameters; conduct sensory evaluations and shelf-life validation; ensure formulations meet cost targets and margin requirements.
• Product Improvement & Optimization — Improve existing product quality, consistency, taste, texture, and shelf life; reformulate to optimize ingredient cost without compromising quality; troubleshoot production issues related to dough handling, baking, freezing, or packaging; collaborate with Quality Assurance and Production to reduce waste and improve yields.
• Process & Technical Support — Oversee scale-up from lab test to pilot to full plant production; define processing parameters such as mixing profile, proofing, baking temperature, cooling curves, freezing protocols; support production team during commercial runs to ensure successful product launches; introduce new technologies, equipment, and baking processes to improve productivity.
• Ingredient & Supplier Management — Work with procurement and suppliers to source new ingredients and evaluate technical suitability; approve ingredient specifications and perform trials for alternative raw materials.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration — Work closely with Marketing, Quality Assurance, Production, Engineering, and Supply Chain; lead technical discussions with customers, co-packers, and strategic partners; provide training to internal teams on product knowledge, baking science, and new technologies.
• Documentation & Compliance — Develop and maintain product specifications, process flow, BOM, and SOPs; prepare technical documents for regulatory compliance (labels, allergens, nutrition); ensure compliance with food safety standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Food Science, Food Technology or related field.
• 5–8 years in food R&D, ideally in industrial bakery, frozen bakery, or large-scale production.
• Strong background in dough systems, baking technology, and ingredient functionalities; deep technical knowledge in bakery formulations.
• Experience managing NPD projects and team leadership; strong sensory evaluation and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to scale recipes from lab to mass production and understanding of food safety regulations.
• Project management and cross-functional communication; creativity combined with commercial awareness.
• Proficiency in data analysis and product costing.