Food Technologist to support the research, formulation, and commercialization of functional foods and nutraceutical products. The role requires strong technical expertise in ingredient functionality, micronutrient fortification, food processing technologies, and regulatory compliance.
Location: Trivandrum
Industry: Functional Foods / FMCG / Nutraceuticals
The selected candidate will work closely with cross-functional teams including R&D, marketing, production, quality assurance, and suppliers to develop innovative, safe, and market-ready products that meet consumer expectations and regulatory standards.
This position plays a critical role in driving product innovation, optimizing formulations, improving manufacturing efficiency, and identifying new business opportunities within the functional foods and nutraceutical sector.
Job Responsibilities
Product Development & Formulation
- Develop and formulate innovative functional food and nutraceutical products aligned with customer specifications and regulatory requirements.
- Design, test, and optimize recipes to achieve desired taste, texture, stability, nutritional profile, functionality, and shelf life.
- Work on micronutrient fortification, bioactive ingredients, and ingredient interactions.
- Lead formulation and development across categories including:
- Edible oils
- Milk and dairy products
- Flour and rice products
- Bakery and bread products
- Confectionery
- Beverages
- Ready-to-Cook (RTC) and Ready-to-Eat (RTE) products
- Conduct laboratory research, trials, and pilot-scale studies.
- Manage scale-up processes from lab to commercial production.
- Conduct stability studies and shelf-life testing.
- Optimize food processing techniques for quality, safety, and efficiency.
Regulatory & Quality Compliance
- Ensure compliance with food safety regulations and standards (e.g., FSSAI and relevant global standards).
- Maintain documentation related to formulation, product specifications, and quality systems.
- Collaborate with quality teams to align with food safety and quality management systems.
- Conduct research to evaluate:
- Market trends
- Consumer preferences
- Competitive products
- Identify new product opportunities based on evolving industry trends.
- Support marketing teams with technical product insights and claims validation.
- Work closely with R&D, production, procurement, and marketing teams to launch new products or improve existing ones.
- Coordinate with suppliers to source high-quality raw materials and ingredients.
- Manage product development timelines and ensure timely achievement of milestones.
Process Optimization & Troubleshooting
- Conduct production trials to improve process efficiency and product consistency.
- Develop systematic approaches for problem-solving and troubleshooting.
- Analyze technical data to improve yield, reduce waste, and enhance product performance.
- Authorized to make technical and formulation decisions.
- Empowered to make cross-functional decisions in collaboration with peers across departments.
- Responsible for meeting project milestones and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Job Qualifications
- Minimum 3 years of experience in the Functional Foods, FMCG, or Nutraceutical industry.
- Strong technical knowledge of:
- Functional ingredients and nutraceutical formulations
- Food processing technologies
- Ingredient functionality and interactions
- PhD or Master’s degree in: Food Technology, Pharmaceutical Sciences , Biotechnology
- Proven experience in multi-category food product development.
- Familiarity with food safety regulations and quality management systems.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills.
- Adaptable to dynamic, fast-paced, and competitive environments.