Production Executive (Food Technologist) - Project Annapurna

ACCESS Development Services; Thane; On-site; INR 450,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

ACCESS Development Services seeks a Production Executive (Food Technologist) to oversee district ARC operations, ensure process standardisation, food safety and quality. You will drive SOPs, QA, shelf-life testing and equipment maintenance across multiple facilities in the Maharashtra region.

The role requires 3–5 years in food processing, FSSAI licensing experience and FoSTaC certification or willingness to obtain it within three months.

Qualifications

• Tech / M.Tech / M.Sc. in Food Technology, Food Science, Food Processing, Food Engineering or Dairy Technology.
• 3–5 years in a food processing unit, common facility centre or food QA/QC function, with hands-on plant-floor experience — not laboratory experience alone.
• Has obtained an FSSAI registration or licence and faced a food safety audit or inspection.
• FoSTaC-certified Food Safety Supervisor, or willing to certify within three months of joining.
• Experience in dry and low-moisture categories — spices and masalas, snacks and farsan, papad, pickles, millet and bakery — preferred; SHG-run unit experience is a strong advantage.

Responsibilities

• Develop and document SOPs, process flows, recipes, yields and product costing for each assigned value chain.
• Establish QA protocols, in-process checks, batch records, traceability and the inventory register at every ARC.
• Plan and interpret shelf-life studies and accredited-lab testing; set storage and distribution conditions.
• Specify, commission and maintain processing equipment; run preventive maintenance and calibration.
• Support each operating Cluster Level Federation, SHG or enterprise group to obtain and maintain FSSAI registration or licence in its own name for its premises.

Skills

Marathi

Hindi

English

Food safety awareness

Education

Tech / M.Tech / M.Sc. in Food Technology / Food Science / Food Processing / Food Engineering / Dairy Technology

Job description

POSITION: Production Executive (Food Technologist)
REPORTS TO: Project Manager – Annapurna

About ACCESS: Access Development Services is a national livelihoods promotion organization that incubates innovations and builds sustainable models of livelihood promotion for the poor — implementing programmes on the ground (Tier I); partnering civil society, government, the corporate sector and multilateral agencies (Tier II); and shaping national policy and the enabling environment (Tier III). Headquartered in New Delhi, ACCESS works across 14 project offices. More at www.accessdev.org

Project Summary: Annapurna – Catalysing Women Entrepreneurship in Food Processing is a 36+3-month initiative supported by Bajaj Holdings & Investment Limited, administered by the Bajaj Finserv CSR team, running from 1 August 2026 to 31 October 2029. It works with 12,000 women from 1,200 Self Help Groups across 15 blocks of Thane, Pune and Raigad districts of Maharashtra — 4,000 women, 400 SHGs and 5 Annapurna Resource Centres (ARCs) per district, each ARC serving about 80 SHGs through centralised (at-ARC) and decentralised (home-based) support. Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission (UMED) is proposed as a facilitation partner.

Position Summary: One Coordinator per district holds technical responsibility for what is made in that district’s five ARCs and how safely it is made — process standardisation, food safety, quality assurance, shelf-life, packaging and statutory licensing of each facility. This is the technical conscience of the project: the person who decides whether a batch goes to market.

Responsibilities:

1. Process, Product and Quality

• Develop and document SOPs, process flows, recipes, yields and product costing for each assigned value chain
• Establish QA protocols, in-process checks, batch records, traceability and the inventory register at every ARC
• Plan and interpret shelf-life studies and accredited-lab testing; set storage and distribution conditions
• Specify, commission and maintain processing equipment; run preventive maintenance and calibration

2. Food Safety and Licensing

• Support each operating Cluster Level Federation, SHG or enterprise group to obtain and maintain FSSAI registration or licence in its own name for its own premises. No food business under this project will operate on a licence held by any other entity.
• Serve as, or train and certify, the Food Safety Supervisor at each facility; deliver FoSTaC-aligned hygiene and food safety training
• Establish and rehearse product recall, complaint handling and non-conforming product procedures, and ensure compliance with FSSAI labelling, legal metrology and packaging requirements

3. Capability Building and Coordination

• Train Centre-cum-Cluster Coordinators and women entrepreneurs in production, quality and hygiene practice
• Work with the Sales & Marketing Officer to meet buyer specifications on quality, grammage, packaging and delivery
• Maintain production, quality and equipment records for the project MIS

Education & Experience::

• Tech / M.Tech / M.Sc. in Food Technology, Food Science, Food Processing, Food Engineering or Dairy Technology
• 3–5 years in a food processing unit, common facility centre or food QA/QC function, with hands‑on plant‑floor experience — not laboratory experience alone
• Has obtained an FSSAI registration or licence and faced a food safety audit or inspection
• FoSTaC-certified Food Safety Supervisor, or willing to certify within three months of joining
• Experience in dry and low‑moisture categories — spices and masalas, snacks and farsan, papad, pickles, millet and bakery — preferred; SHG-run unit experience is a strong advantage

Skills and Competencies:

• Working Marathi essential, with Hindi and English
• Can teach a process to a first‑generation entrepreneur who has no technical vocabulary
• Firmness on food safety, including the willingness to reject a batch and be unpopular for it
• Methodical on batch records, deviations and corrective action; two‑wheeler with valid license

Travel Requirement:

Rotational travel across the five ARCs of the assigned district; 15+ field days a month.

Compensation:

The salary range for this position is commensurate with industry standards and will be determined based upon the experience set of the candidate and the HR policies of the organization.

ACCESS is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. ACCESS values diversity and inclusion, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, caste, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, marital status, age and disability.