Head – Research and Development

3P Consultants Pvt. Ltd.; India; On-site; INR 3,000,000 - 5,000,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading agrochemical company in India is seeking a Senior R&D Leader to drive innovative agrochemical formulation solutions. This role will oversee the entire product development cycle, from concept through commercialization, and will actively manage the R&D strategy to align with business goals. The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. or Master's degree and 18+ years of experience in R&D within agro formulation or pharma formulation. Strong leadership and regulatory knowledge are crucial for success in this position.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. / Master's in Agri-Chemistry, Agronomy, Biotechnology or related discipline.
• 18+ years of R&D experience in agro formulation or pharma formulation.
• Proven track record of leading end-to-end R&D functions and delivering commercially successful product pipelines.
• Good understanding of regulatory requirements, field development and product registration processes.
• Demonstrated success in scaling products from lab to commercial manufacturing.
• Strong leadership experience managing large R&D teams and cross-functional programs.
• Exposure to biological, bio-stimulants and crop protection is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the overall R&D strategy aligned with business goals.
• Build and actively manage a robust, balanced innovation pipeline.
• Oversee end-to-end product development lifecycle from concept to commercialization.
• Build and strengthen R&D capabilities across formulation and applied research domains.
• Partner with regulatory teams to align R&D pipeline with global registration requirements.

Job description

Job Purpose

• This role will be instrumental in building an integrated and agile R&D capability, strengthening formulation innovation, supporting long-term product pipeline development and translating market needs into commercially viable products.

Key Responsibilities

R&D Strategy

• Define and drive the overall R&D strategy aligned with business goals, market opportunities, and long-term growth priorities.
• Build and actively manage a robust, balanced innovation pipeline across agrochemical formulations, combination products and next-generation crop protection solutions.
• Lead innovation across conventional chemistries and advanced delivery systems, including biological, bio-stimulants, and environmentally sustainable solutions.
• Partner with commercial and marketing teams to translate market insights into high-impact R&D programs.
• Lead competitive intelligence including reverse engineering and benchmarking of global products.

Formulation Development & Product Innovation

• Oversee end-to-end product development lifecycle from concept to commercialization, including molecule evaluation, lab-scale formulation, stability & compatibility studies, bio-efficacy validation, field trials and performance analysis.
• Work closely with manufacturing for technology transfer, scale-up and cost optimization.
• Drive innovation to enhance product efficacy, resistance management, and farmer value through advanced formulation technologies.
• Lead adoption of advanced technologies including flow chemistry, novel delivery systems, and product replication methodologies.
• Build strategic partnerships with universities, research institutes, startups and technology providers.

R&D Capability & Infrastructure Development

• Build and strengthen R&D capabilities across formulation, analytical and applied research domains.
• Develop best-in-class laboratory infrastructure, digital systems and data governance practices.
• Standardize research methodologies, documentation systems and knowledge management frameworks.
• Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation and scientific rigor.

Regulatory & Compliance Alignment

• Partner with regulatory teams to align R&D pipeline with global registration requirements.
• Guide development of data packages (toxicology, residue, environmental studies) to support registrations.
• Anticipate regulatory changes and embed compliance into early-stage product design.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build, mentor and lead a high-performing, multidisciplinary R&D organization.
• Work closely with Marketing & Product Management, Regulatory & Quality, Manufacturing & Supply Chain and Field Research teams.
• Act as a key member of the leadership team contributing to business strategy and growth decisions.

Qualification & Experience

• Ph.D. / Master's in Agri-Chemistry, Agronomy, Biotechnology or related discipline.
• 18+ years of R&D experience in agro formulation or pharma formulation.
• Proven track record of leading end-to-end R&D functions and delivering commercially successful product pipelines.
• Good understanding of regulatory requirements, field development and product registration processes.
• Demonstrated success in scaling products from lab to commercial manufacturing.
• Strong leadership experience managing large R&D teams and cross-functional programs.
• Exposure to biological, bio-stimulants and crop protection is preferred.