R&D Executive / Senior Officer (Snack & Biscuit Manufacturing)

Miaow Miaow Food Products Sdn Bhd; Batu Pahat; On-site; MYR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Miaow Miaow Food Products Sdn Bhd is seeking an R&D Executive to drive new product development and product improvements for snacks and biscuits. The role involves recipe formulation, sensory evaluation, regulatory compliance, and artwork coordination, with trials from concept to commercialization.

You will work with QA, Production, Purchasing, Sales, and other departments to deliver innovative products that meet safety, quality, and market requirements, while mentoring R&D staff and coordinating

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or related discipline.
• 2–3 years of relevant R&D experience in food manufacturing; snacks/biscuits preferred.
• Experience from concept to commercialization in product development.
• Knowledge of food chemistry, ingredient functionality, and sensory evaluation.
• Familiarity with HACCP, GMP, ISO standards and food regulations.
• Strong project management, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English and Bahasa Malaysia; Mandarin is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead new product development and product improvement projects including recipe formulation and laboratories trials.
• Coordinate sensory evaluation and liaise with QA, Production, Purchasing, and Sales to ensure quality and cost targets.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and manage labeling requirements for local and export markets.
• Oversee product artwork coordination, translations, and coordination with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Schedule and oversee production trials, scale-up activities, and post-trial evaluations.
• Maintain documentation, change controls, and product specifications; support market launches.

Skills

Project management

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

English proficiency

Bahasa Malaysia proficiency

Mandarin advantageous

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Food Science or Food Technology

Tools

MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Job description

Lead new product development, recipe formulation, production trials, and artwork coordination from concept to commercialization.

Job Description

We are seeking a proactive and detail-oriented R&D Executive to drive new product development and product improvement projects for our snacks and biscuits business. This role involves recipe formulation, sensory evaluation, regulatory compliance, product labelling and artwork coordination, and production trials to ensure successful product commercialization.

The successful candidate will work closely with QA, Production, Purchasing, Sales, and other departments to deliver innovative products that meet food safety, quality, cost, and market requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1. New Product Development & Product Improvement

Develop new product recipes and modify existing formulations based on project briefs, consumer preferences, and market trends.

Conduct sensory evaluations and review product samples prepared by junior team members to ensure quality and consistency.

Analyse sensory evaluation results and recommend next steps, considering product quality, cost, minimum order quantities (MOQ), factory capabilities, Halal status, and regulatory requirements.

Liaise with suppliers to source new ingredients and seasonings and improve existing formulations.

Coordinate with QA for nutritional and microbiological testing of product samples.

Prepare product specifications and respond to technical product enquiries from the Sales team and customers.

Prepare project documentation for management approval at key development milestones and final product launch.

2. Technical Documentation & Regulatory Compliance

Coordinate with relevant departments to complete new raw material assessments, change controls, product feasibility assessments, and pre-launch checklists.

Maintain the Product Recipe Control Log and ensure proper control of recipe versions.

Prepare ingredient breakdowns and product composition information for Sales and customer requirements.

Review product development documentation to ensure completeness and compliance before project closure.

Release approved recipes and recipe cards to the relevant departments.

3. Product Artwork & Labelling Management

Review food labelling requirements for local and export markets.

Coordinate with Purchasing, QA, and other relevant departments to collect barcode, allergen, nutritional, and product information for artwork preparation.

Prepare and translate ingredient lists and product information into Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, French, and Arabic, as required.

Prepare nutritional information in a clear and accurate format for product artwork.

Maintain product nutrition information reports and ensure consistency between approved master templates and final artwork.

Review artwork proofs, including FA proofs, Iris proofs, and master cards.

Monitor artwork progress and ensure timely completion of artwork-related activities.

Coordinate with Production, QA, and management on trial recipes, production requirements, and scale-up arrangements.

Schedule production trials and identify critical process parameters with the relevant teams.

Record production data and observations, collect samples, and coordinate post-trial sensory evaluations.

Monitor product quality during production trials and recommend corrective action when necessary.

Review Production Trial Records prepared by the R&D Officer for accuracy and completeness.

Escalate critical quality or food safety concerns and recommend suspension of trials when required.

Guide and mentor R&D Officers and interns in daily activities, including sensory evaluation and shelf-life testing.

Monitor project progress, departmental KPIs, and action plans for management review.

Identify opportunities to improve R&D procedures, product quality, and project execution.

Conduct market research to identify emerging trends in ingredients, flavours, products, and processing equipment.

Support internal audits and product improvement initiatives when required.

Maintain an organized filing system for market samples and packaging materials.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve project issues and achieve development targets.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a related discipline.

Minimum 2–3 years of relevant R&D experience in the food manufacturing industry; experience in snacks and biscuits is preferred.

Proven experience in product development, from concept and formulation through production trials and commercialization.

Good knowledge of food chemistry, ingredient functionality, formulation development, and sensory evaluation techniques.

Familiarity with food safety and quality management systems, including HACCP, GMP, and relevant ISO standards.

Knowledge of Malaysian food regulations and food labelling requirements for local and export markets.

Strong project management, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Good written and verbal communication skills in English and Bahasa Malaysia. Mandarin proficiency is a strong advantage; additional language capabilities are beneficial.

Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Able to guide junior team members and coordinate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Detail-oriented, innovative, proactive, and able to manage multiple projects within tight deadlines.

Unlock job insights

Hirer responsiveness Salary match Number of applicants

Over 40 years of experience in the food industry

Miaow Miaow is a well-established Malaysia homegrown snack company that specializes in manufacturing, supplying, and exporting various snacks, selling at an affordable price that suits all age groups with different lifestyles and cultures in countries around the world.

Miaow Miaow began from a humble beginning in Batu Pahat, Johor in 1975 as a family distribution business and gradually expanded into large-scale snack food manufacturing in 1989. The business has expanded substantially over the past few decades, not just in Malaysia but as well as nearly 40 countries around the world. Also, we are the trusted and preferred OEM partner for big chain stores in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Miaow Miaow is strategically surrounded by the oil palm field, assure a natural but pollution-free manufacturing condition in order to assure higher quality products to customers. We are dedicated to developing innovative and quality snacks filled with delicious moments by consistently developing new recipes to fulfill the needs and expectations of our customers.

Over 40 years of experience in the food industry

Miaow Miaow is a well-established Malaysia homegrown snack company that specializes in manufacturing, supplying, and exporting various snacks, selling at an affordable price that suits all age groups with different lifestyles and cultures in countries around the world.

Miaow Miaow began from a humble beginning in Batu Pahat, Johor in 1975 as a family distribution business and gradually expanded into large-scale snack food manufacturing in 1989. The business has expanded substantially over the past few decades, not just in Malaysia but as well as nearly 40 countries around the world. Also, we are the trusted and preferred OEM partner for big chain stores in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Miaow Miaow is strategically surrounded by the oil palm field, assure a natural but pollution-free manufacturing condition in order to assure higher quality products to customers. We are dedicated to developing innovative and quality snacks filled with delicious moments by consistently developing new recipes to fulfill the needs and expectations of our customers.