R&D Beverages-Manager

R&D Manager profile.

Bangalore

Responsibilities

Lead the process development and first commercialization of Beverages R&D products, includes carbonated soft drinks, juice based beverages, dairy, non-dairy still drinks and also for foods. 

Process Development and Commercialization Engineering Leadership

·          Lead, identify, select, develop, test, establish, validate & manage the robust process systems and first commercialization of; carbonated soft drinks, juice, dairy and non-dairy, other still beverages and  foods.  Position scope starts with ideation of process options, evaluates & screens process options during feasibility and then leads bench to pilot and then commercial scale up trails.  Cross-functional collaboration, excellent critical thinking and desire to apply process technologies (cold fill, aseptic processing, hot filling, baking, enrobing, cold forming, etc.) to commercialize Beverages and Foods are keys to success. 

·          Working with and supporting; Supply chain, Food Safety, Quality and other team members – to assure all components & systems (product, process, package and work processes) are capable of producing & sustaining the safe & robust production of low and high acid beverages plus preparation and processing of foods. 

·          Identify and lead internal and external resources to deliver safe, robust processes consistent with business needs (timing, product types, resources, etc.).  Organize and lead tests from bench to commercial scale.  Mentor junior engineers and other team members.

·          Completely document your work to enable effective hand-off to; Supply Chain, R&D teams and others.

Continuously Improve

·        Identify and lead with internal and external partners improvements to enhance; robustness, innovativeness of our work and to reduce; risk, cost and time. 

·        Identify opportunities for strategic investments in; R&D development processes, pilot plant capabilities, partners and technologies to deliver business plan.

·        Identify, develop training and mentor for other Engineers and the project team to insure the success of the projects and the long term strategic direction Beverages and Foods.  Suggest, lead &/or co-lead development of courses for R&D.

Teamwork and Communication

·        Foster through example and team leadership building; comradery and collaboration.

·        Excellent project and technical written documentation and oral communication from lab notebook to test requests and reports, engineering documentation (transformational flow sheets, process learning plans, P&ID, etc.)

·        Demonstrated effectiveness at using data coupled with clear and concise written and oral communication to influence the project team and senior leadership to understand risk, change course, fund projects, pursue IP, etc.

·        Ability to represent function internally and with external business partners (JV, copackers, etc.) proactively and effectively communicating challenges, risks and requirements to mitigate while also understanding and appreciating their business needs and perspective.

 

Detailed Accountabilities

·        Lead process development and first commercialization of existing, modified and new process technologies for; cold fill, low and high acid aseptic beverage manufacturing platforms as well as; hot fill beverages, foods process technologies such as; baking, enrobing, cold-forming and other processes required.

·        Proactively identifying skill and capability gaps in the project team and R&D.   Develop, sell in and execute steps to address including; Mentoring, Developing R&D courses, External Experts, Etc.

·        Design & execute DOE to screen, model, verify and ensure statistical capability and robustness of pilot and commercial process technologies.   Assure post launch that the commercial process was robust and capture lessons learned to continuously improve.

·        In collaboration with Science & Technology (S&T) teams and your own internal and external network stay abreast of process technologies, competitor’s and suppliers use of process technologies and support development of process technologies to provide competitive advantage.

·        Develop & strengthen network among internal Supply Chain, Quality & Food Safety teams plus as appropriate with external experts, vendors & Strategic Partners to deliver robust and safe processes. 

·        IP:  Proactively identify intellectual property opportunities (patents, trade secrets and/or publications) and protect from ideation through commercialization

Requirements:

·        Bachelor's / Master’s degree in Chemical / Food Process Engineering / Food Technology or related discipline.

·        10 years if Process development experience in Food and Beverages with at least 3 years in Beverages industry.

·        Having strong interpersonal and communication skills.

·        Being independent, resourceful, result oriented.