Head - R&D & Innovation (Food Solutions)

Function: R&D• NPD• Innovation• QA Oversight• Vendor GovernanceIndustry: Food Processing• Coatings• Blends• Seasonings• Retort SolutionsRequirement: Should be open to travel multiple times within India and Australia.About Knoxx FoodsKnoxx Foods is a fast-growing ingredients and value-added solutions provider based in Australia. We offer tomato derivatives, coconut products, dehydrated vegetables, rice, and more to the supplying manufacturers across Australia and have plans to expand in the global markets .As part of strengthening our Knoxx Innovation Centre, a specialised hub for developing coatings, blends, seasonings and retort solutions for ready meal and foodservice manufacturers we are hiring a senior food technologist to develop this R&D Centre from scratch in India and drive our value added products road-map.What you will build:You will establish the entire Knoxx Innovation Centre-its R&D systems, QA protocols, digital documentation, confidentiality framework, vendor governance structure, and product development pipeline.Key Responsibilities:Product Development & Commercialisation- Lead development of coatings, blends, and seasonings across multiple categories (chips, chicken, fish, snacks, meals, etc.).- Translate chef prototypes into stable, scalable commercial formulations.- Conduct pilot trials and manage transition to commercial manufacturing.- Develop processing parameters, specifications, and BOMs.Retort Solutions- Develop and scale retort-based food components.- Define thermal processing, packaging, and stability standards.- Ensure compliance with domestic and export norms.Build the Knoxx R&D Centre- Establish all R&D SOPs, workflows, and documentation frameworks.- Implement a 100% paperless working model to ensure confidentiality.- Create stability, testing, and sensory evaluation systems.Vendor & Sub-vendor Governance- Build and enforce end-to-end vendor and sub-vendor control protocols.- Ensure all RM/PM and processes follow Knoxx-approved specifications.- Conduct periodic audits and ensure compliance with quality and confidentiality standards.RM/PM & Process Standardisation- Develop master specifications for all raw and packaging materials.- Implement periodic validations, checks, and improvements.Quality Assurance Oversight at Production Facilities- Supervise and ensure QA compliance at all co-manufacturing and production facilities.- Verify that approved RM/PM, processes, and specifications are consistently followed.- Review batch records, deviations, corrective actions, and QA controls.- Ensure food safety systems (HACCP, QMS, sanitation, retort checks, etc.) are adhered to.Cross-Functional Collaboration- Work with the Sydney-based R&D Chef for customization and customer insights.- Coordinate with procurement for RM planning and with the pricing analyst for costing inputs.- Support sales with technical knowledge and customer demos.Execution & Launch Management- Lead commercialisation of priority formulations defined by management.- Ensure manufacturing readiness, packaging alignment, and stability validation.What Success Looks Like (KPIs)Technical & Commercial- Timely launch of coatings, blends, seasonings, and retort solutions.- High customer acceptance and repeat demand.Quality & Compliance- Zero major quality deviations at production sites.- Consistency across batches and co-man facilities.- 100% adherence to food safety and QA protocols.Operational- Fully operational Knoxx R&D Centre with digital systems.- All vendors/sub-vendors approved and compliant.- Zero confidentiality breaches.Required Experience- Degree in Food Technology / Food Processing.- 7+ years experience in R&D/NPD for seasonings, coatings, instant blends, RTE/RTC foods, or retort categories.- Exposure to run paperless lab- Experience in scaling products from pilot to commercial manufacturing.- Strong background in QA systems, HACCP, BRC, and process validation.- Experience with vendor audits and co-manufacturing oversight.Why Join Knoxx Foods- Build an Innovation Centre from the ground up.- Leadership scope with real influence on company direction.- Opportunity to create next-generation food solutions for global markets.