Research Development Manager

Our Client

A leading food and commodities manufacturing organization in the region is looking for an experienced R&D Manager to lead product development, formulation, standardization, process optimisation, and innovation across its core food product portfolio.

You will lead the technical development and R&D agenda across cereal-based and value-added food products, taking projects from raw material evaluation and formulation through pilot trials, process optimisation, and commercial scale-up.

The role will focus on strengthening product consistency, developing new products, improving existing formulations, optimising manufacturing processes, and supporting the organization’s broader innovation and growth strategy.

• Lead R&D activities across cereal-based and value-added food products, from concept development and formulation through pilot trials and commercial scale-up.
• Develop, standardize, and optimise product formulations and specifications across multiple product grades, applications, and customer requirements.
• Evaluate raw material characteristics and processing performance to improve product consistency, functionality, quality, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Lead new product development and product renovation initiatives aligned with market requirements, customer needs, and the organization’s innovation strategy.
• Conduct sensory, physicochemical, shelf-life, and performance testing while establishing appropriate technical and quality benchmarks.
• Partner with Production, Quality, and Procurement teams to troubleshoot formulation and manufacturing issues and optimise process parameters.
• Maintain technical documentation covering formulations, specifications, standard operating procedures, testing protocols, and product standards.
• Support innovation roadmaps, feasibility studies, cost optimisation, and continuous improvement initiatives while monitoring developments in food processing and product technology.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Cereal Science, or a related discipline.
• 8-10+ years of R&D or technical experience within food manufacturing, cereal-based products, grain processing, bakery ingredients, pasta, or a closely related processing environment.
• At least 3-5 years of managerial or technical leadership experience, with responsibility for R&D, product development, or technical teams.
• Strong hands-on understanding of cereal science, raw material functionality, formulation, product standardization, and manufacturing processes.
• Proven experience delivering new product development, formulation improvement, product renovation, and commercial scale-up within an industrial manufacturing environment.
• Experience working closely with manufacturing equipment and Production, Quality, Procurement, and Commercial teams to resolve technical and process challenges.
• Strong exposure to pilot trials, sensory and product testing, process optimisation, technical documentation, and cost improvement initiatives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability with a practical lab-to-production-line approach.
• Fluent English communication skills, Arabic language capability would be an advantage.