Head of R&D Laboratory & Scale-up - OPEN

SQUIPP; Louvain-la-Neuve; Remote; EUR 140,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

SQUIPP in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, seeks a Head of R&D Laboratory & Scale-up to guide the science from concept to industrial production.

You will lead a small team, develop strategy with the CEO, manage partnerships, regulatory affairs, and fundings, and drive technology transfer to India while ensuring GMP and DoE excellence. Fluency in French and English required.

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Experience leading scientific teams and projects.
• Proven track record of translating lab results to industrial production.
• Fluency in French and English (written and spoken).
• Experience with regulatory affairs in nutraceuticals or pharma.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the R&D laboratory team and ensure performance.
• Transfer laboratory processes to industrial production with India.
• Define R&D strategy and roadmap with General Management.
• Identify and manage public research funding and grant applications.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and manage investments.

Skills

Scientific leadership

Team management

Strategic thinking

DoE and statistics

Education

PhD in a relevant scientific discipline

Master’s or engineering degree in pharmaceutical technology, process engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, industrial chemistry, biotechnology, food science or equivalent

Tools

HPLC

Powder characterization

DoE

Analytical methods development

Job description

Head of R&D Laboratory & Scale-up - OPEN

What if you could take an innovation from the laboratory all the way to industrial production?

You've spent years developing formulations, solving scientific challenges and improving processes.

But now, you're looking for more than managing R&D projects.

You want to shape scientific strategy, build a high-performing team and see your innovations become industrial reality.

Imagine leading an R&D laboratory whose formulation technologies move from proof of concept to industrial production.

A laboratory where your scientific decisions matter, where you work directly with the CEO, and where your expertise helps turn innovative formulations into high-performance ingredients used in the health and wellness industry.

This could be your next challenge.

The opportunity

Our client is an innovative Belgian R&D company specializing in improving the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of poorly soluble natural ingredients for human and animal health.

Its proprietary formulation technologies transform poorly soluble active ingredients into high-performance, cold-water dispersible or soluble powders.

With a dedicated production area being established in India, the company is entering an important phase of industrial development.

We're looking for a Head of R&D to become the CEO's scientific and operational right hand.

You’ll take ownership of two closely connected areas:

• R&D laboratory leadership: managing the team, scientific projects, partnerships, regulatory activities, funding and investments.
• Industrial scale-up: transferring laboratory processes into production, working closely with the company's production team in India.

This is not a position for someone who wants to manage exclusively from behind a desk.

You’ll combine strategic thinking with hands‑on scientific leadership, staying close to your team, the laboratory and the processes.

The challenges you’ll take on

1. Lead a laboratory and build your team

You’ll take responsibility for the laboratory’s scientific and operational performance.

• Lead and develop an existing team of 3 people, with further growth planned.
• Recruit, onboard, coach and develop new team members.
• Set objectives, conduct performance reviews and identify development needs.
• Organize laboratory activities and prioritize internal projects alongside customer requests.
• Ensure reliable, reproducible and traceable laboratory work through appropriate protocols, documentation and quality practices.
• Oversee analytical characterization and control methods.
• Strengthen the team’s autonomy and foster a collaborative working environment.

2. Turn laboratory processes into industrial reality

One of your most important challenges will be to bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and industrial manufacturing.

• Lead the transfer and implementation of processes jointly with the production team in India.
• Translate laboratory parameters into industrial operating conditions, including CPPs, CQAs and operating ranges.
• Coordinate pilot trials and demonstration batches with the production team.
• Prepare technology transfer dossiers and associated process documentation.
• Act as the scientific and technical counterpart of the production team and external CDMOs.
• Troubleshoot process challenges and support the resolution of major deviations.
• Design and supervise stability studies.

Most collaboration with India will take place remotely. Occasional travel will be required for key milestones such as demonstration batches, production start‑up or significant technical issues.

3. Shape the R&D strategy

You’ll contribute directly to decisions that influence the company’s scientific and commercial future.

• Define the R&D strategy and roadmap together with General Management.
• Prioritize internal development programs and market‑driven opportunities.
• Assess the feasibility and potential of new scientific approaches.
• Monitor scientific, technological and competitive developments.
• Contribute to protecting intellectual property, including patents and know‑how.

4. Develop partnerships and secure R&D funding

Your role will extend beyond the laboratory.

• Identify relevant regional, Belgian and European public research funding opportunities.
• Prepare grant applications with management and external partners.
• Coordinate scientific and financial reporting, audits and funding reviews.
• Select and manage academic laboratories, CROs, analytical laboratories and preclinical or clinical study providers.
• Define specifications, evaluate deliverables and ensure scientific consistency and confidentiality.

5. Ensure regulatory compliance and manage investments

You’ll help ensure that scientific innovation translates into viable, compliant products and processes.

• Secure the regulatory status of ingredients and formulations, including Novel Food requirements, plant lists and raw material status.
• Contribute to technical dossiers and claims in collaboration with customers and authorities.
• Monitor relevant regulatory developments across target markets.
• Define laboratory and pilot equipment needs.
• Evaluate suppliers and oversee equipment qualification and commissioning.
• Manage laboratory operating and investment budgets.

What you’ll bring

We’re looking for an experienced scientific leader who can combine technical expertise, sound judgment and an entrepreneurial mindset.

Your background

• At least 10 years of experience in formulation, process development or industrialization within the nutraceutical or pharmaceutical industry.
• A Master’s or engineering degree in pharmaceutical technology, process engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, industrial chemistry, biotechnology, food science or an equivalent field.
• Proven experience taking processes from laboratory scale to industrial production.
• Experience managing scientific teams, including during periods of growth.
• Experience managing external partners and subcontractors.
• Practical experience in nutraceutical regulatory affairs.
• Fluency in French and English, both written and spoken.

Your technical expertise

• Solid dosage form formulation and processing.
• Physicochemical characterization and associated analytical methods.
• Design of Experiments (DoE) and statistical analysis.
• Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs), Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) and stability studies.
• Applicable GMP, ICH and pharmacopoeial standards, and the EU regulatory framework for food supplements.

Scientific leadership and technical guidance

Beyond managing the team, you’ll be expected to act as a credible scientific reference for experienced R&D scientists.

• Challenge and guide scientific approaches, experimental designs and technical decisions.
• Support senior scientists in solving complex formulation and analytical challenges.
• Bring practical expertise in powder characterization, solubility enhancement and formulation optimization.
• Provide informed technical guidance on analytical methods, particularly HPLC, drawing on your own laboratory experience.

Additional strengths

• A PhD in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Previous hands‑on autonomy in HPLC method development, optimization and troubleshooting.
• Strong practical experience in powder characterization and strategies to improve the solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble compounds.
• Experience preparing and managing public R&D funding applications.

Your way of working matters just as much

You know how to make decisions, even when the available information is incomplete.

You can distinguish between scientific perfection and what is technically robust, commercially relevant and achievable.

You're comfortable managing several priorities, challenging technical assumptions and supporting experienced scientists.

Above all, you take ownership, bring people together and turn ideas into action.

What success will look like

Your impact will be visible through:

• Reliable and reproducible laboratory developments.
• Successful process transfer and implementation with the production team in India.
• Product specifications consistently achieved at production scale.
• Timely and accurate reporting to public funding bodies.
• Regulatory status secured for developed ingredients.
• A skilled, autonomous and stable R&D team.
• Effective prioritization between internal programs and customer-driven opportunities.

Make a real impact

Your scientific decisions will directly influence the company's development and industrial ambitions.

Lead and grow a team

You’ll develop an existing team of three people and help shape its future.

Stay close to the science

This is a hands‑on leadership role where your technical expertise remains essential.

Work directly with the CEO

You’ll have significant autonomy and the opportunity to contribute to strategic decisions.

Take innovation beyond the laboratory

You’ll work internationally to translate R&D achievements into industrial production.

Grow professionally

You’ll join a stimulating, innovation-driven environment offering opportunities for personal and professional development.

Competitive compensation

A permanent contract with an attractive salary package aligned with your experience and responsibilities.

Where?

The position is based in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium , with occasional international travel, primarily to India.