Assistant Manager - Food Technologist

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

Job summary

Essar Steel is seeking a Food Technology professional to drive product innovation for juices, soups, snacks, and healthy meals, aligning with brand vision and mass production readiness.

You will own lab trials, coordinate with chefs and vendors, ensure FSSAI compliance, and collaborate with marketing to translate consumer trends into differentiated, clean-label SKUs for market launch.

Qualifications

• Experience in food processing and product development
• Ability to manage multiple trials and projects
• Knowledge of clean-label formulation and ingredients
• Strong coordination and execution in fast-paced setups

Responsibilities

• Lead product innovation and development for juices, soups, snacks, and healthy bites
• Own lab and pilot trials, shelf-life studies, and texture/taste optimization
• Coordinate vendor sourcing, MOQs, and quality specs for ingredients
• Ensure 100% FSSAI compliance for new SKUs including labeling
• Collaborate with brand, design, and sales to align marketing claims

Skills

Food processing

Clean-label formulation

Trial management

Costing & yield

Execution mindset

Education

B.Tech / M.Tech in Food Technology

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