Senior R&D Manager (f/m/d)

Freudenberg Group; Elmshorn; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Freudenberg Group in Germany seeks a food technology professional to develop innovative solutions for customer projects in an international environment. You will apply your expertise to bring ideas from formulation to production readiness and work with global teams on new raw materials and technologies.

Experience in the food industry and knowledge of production processes, coupled with a hands-on attitude and strong communication skills, will help drive AI-powered improvements across development

Qualifications

• Degree in Food Technology or related field.
• Experience in product development or application technology within the food industry.
• Knowledge of raw materials and food additives; emulsion/dispersion knowledge is a plus.
• Understanding of production processes and process engineering.
• Interest in digital technologies and AI tools for data-driven work.
• Willingness to collaborate internationally.
• Strong teamwork, communication, and initiative.
• Hands-on mindset.
• English fluency; additional French or Italian is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Developing innovative solutions for customer projects in an international environment.
• Implementing new product ideas from initial formulation through to production readiness.
• Exploring new raw materials and technologies for forward-looking applications.
• Conducting and evaluating application, sensory and stability studies.
• Acting as a technical point of contact for product- and application-related questions.
• Collaborating with international sister companies worldwide.
• Identifying and testing innovative digital and AI-based solutions to support development, analysis and documentation processes.

Skills

Food technology

Nutritional science

Application development

English communication

Team collaboration

Data-driven methods

SAP knowledge

Intercultural collaboration

Education

Degree in Food Technology or related field

Tools

SAP

Job description

Working at Freudenberg: We will wow your world!

Responsibilities:

• Developing innovative solutions for customer projects in an international environment
• Implementing new product ideas from initial formulation through to production readiness
• Exploring new raw materials and technologies for forward-looking applications
• Conducting and evaluating application, sensory and stability studies
• Acting as a technical point of contact for product- and application-related questions
• Collaborating with international sister companies worldwide
• Identifying and testing innovative digital and AI-based solutions to support development, analysis and documentation processes

Qualifications:

• Successfully completed degree in Food Technology, Nutritional Science, Food Science or a comparable qualification
• Several years of experience in product development or application technology within the food industry
• In-depth knowledge of raw materials and food additives; experience with emulsion and dispersion systems is an advantage
• Strong understanding of production processes and process engineering principles
• Affinity for digital technologies and motivation to integrate new AI tools and data-driven methods into existing workflows
• Enjoyment of interdisciplinary and international collaboration
• Strong team spirit, excellent communication skills and a high degree of initiative
• Hands‑on mentality
• Knowledge of SAP is an advantage
• Excellent written and spoken English skills; additional language skills, particularly French or Italian, are a plus

The Freudenberg Group is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all applicants and associates without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.