Assistant Manager - Food Technologist

Essar Career Site; Mumbai; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Essar Career Site in Mumbai is seeking a Food Product Developer to lead the ideation and development of clean-label products across beverages, snacks, and ready-to-eat formats. The role requires translating consumer trends into scalable formulations and coordinating trials from concept to production readiness.

You will work closely with chefs, nutritionists, and suppliers to ensure shelf-stable, compliant products that meet brand positioning and regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of modern food processing techniques andKey methods for retort, IQF, HPP, dehydration, pasteurization.
• Experience with clean-label formulation and wellness trends in mass-produced foods.
• Ability to manage multiple trials and projects simultaneously in a fast-paced setup.
• Understanding of costing, yield optimization and ingredient functionality.
• Strong coordination and execution mindset across cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Product Innovation & Development: translate trends into new formulations for juices, soups, snacks, smoothies and healthy offerings.
• Food Tech & Trial Execution: run lab/pilot trials, shelf-life studies and ensure production readiness.
• Vendor & Ingredient Coordination: onboard vendors, negotiate MOQs and ensure quality specs.
• Compliance & Regulatory Oversight: ensure FSSAI compliance, labeling and nutritional claims.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: align with brand, design, sales for GTM and marketing messaging.

Skills

Food processing techniques

Clean-label formulation

Project management

Costing & yield

Coordination & execution

Education

B.Tech / M.Tech in Food Technology / Food Science / Culinary Schools

Job description

Location: Mumbai Experience: 2–5 years Industry Preference: Food Processing, Clean-Label FMCG, D2C Health Brands Education: B.Tech / M.Tech in Food Technology / Food Science / Culinary Schools with interest in mass production

Key Responsibilities:

1. Product Innovation & Development
   Develop new product formulations aligned to brand vision — juices, soups, snacks, smoothies, frozen, healthy
   snacking
   Translate consumer needs and trends into differentiated clean-label product ideas
   Run competitor benchmarking and ingredient research for new concept feasibility
2. Food Technology & Trial Execution
   Own lab and pilot trials, shelf-life studies, and texture/taste optimization
   Work closely with chefs, nutritionists, and vendors for culinary and functional balance
   Lead documentation of BOMs, SOPs, yield, nutritional information, and production readiness
   Troubleshoot issues related to processing, storage, preservation, and scalability
3. Vendor & Ingredient Coordination
   Source and onboard vendors for functional ingredients, packaging materials, and co-packers
   Negotiate and align timelines, MOQs, and quality specs
   Ensure test runs are executed efficiently with measurable outcomes
4. Compliance & Regulatory Oversight
   Ensure 100% FSSAI compliance for all developed SKUs including labeling, shelf life, and nutritional claims
   Coordinate with labs for nutritional, microbiological, and heavy metal testing
   Support documentation required for audits, licensing, and packaging approvals
5. Cross-functional Collaboration
   Liaise with brand, design, and sales teams to ensure product alignment with marketing claims and go-to-market
   strategies
   Support marketing with inputs for storytelling, ingredient claims, and innovation messaging
   Ensure innovation timelines are met with rapid prototyping and commercial readiness

Must-Have Skills:

• Deep knowledge of food processing techniques — retort, IQF, HPP, dehydration, pasteurization
• Familiarity with clean-label formulation, functional ingredients, and wellness trends
• Strong ability to manage multiple trials and projects simultaneously
• Working knowledge of costing, yield optimization, and ingredient functionality
• Excellent coordination and execution mindset in a fast-paced setup