R&D specialist for packaged food

• Experience level: Intermediate
• Education: Bachelor’s Degree
• Vacancies: 1
• Compensation: Monthly (ETB)

We are looking for an ambitious, hands-on R&D Specialist to lead product development, flavor formulation, and processing optimization across our protein and nutrition lines. You will bridge the gap between benchtop formulation and full-scale factory production refining existing recipes, improving shelf life, and introducing high-demand product variants to the market.

Key Responsibilities

• Formulation & Product Development: Develop, iterate, and refine recipes for optimal macro profiles, taste, texture, and stability.

• Process Scaling: Translate benchtop formulations into factory production using processing equipment (MACHINERY).

• Ingredient Optimization: Test raw materials, identify high-quality local inputs, and optimize yield and unit economics without sacrificing nutrition or flavor.

• Quality & Shelf Life: Conduct sensory evaluations, run shelf-life studies, and ensure strict safety and regulatory standards.

• Continuous Improvement: Work on the production floor to solve batch inconsistencies, minimize waste, and streamline manufacturing workflows.

Qualifications

• Bachelor Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Process Engineering, or a related field.

• 2+ years of hands-on experience in food product development, extrusion, or protein processing (someone who has already worked in a factory setting.)

• Strong problem-solving mindset, data-driven, precise, and comfortable testing hypotheses quickly.

• High bias for action and willingness to work directly on the production floor or in R&D lab.