Food Technologist: Product Development

Babylonstoren; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 400 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading South African food product company is seeking a motivated product development professional. Responsibilities include leading the development of ready-to-eat products, managing factory trials, and ensuring compliance with food safety standards. Ideal candidates will have a degree in Food Science and considerable experience in product improvement within the food industry. Strong project management skills and fluency in Afrikaans and English are essential.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of experience in ready-to-eat product development.
• Proven experience in driving product improvements.
• Understanding of food safety principles.

Responsibilities

• Develop high-quality products aligning with brand values.
• Manage kitchen and factory trials including documentation.
• Conduct shelf-life assessments and implement findings.

Skills

Project management

Team collaboration

Fluency in Afrikaans and English

Conflict resolution

Sensory skills

Education

BSc Food Science or related

Job description

This position offers a wonderful opportunity to join the dynamic Babylonstoren team and contribute to the expansion of our food product offering. The ideal candidate is solution-driven, with experience in ready-to-eat (RTE) and long-life foods, product development, and food quality assurance processes. The successful candidate must possess strong leadership qualities, work effectively in a cross-functional team, and take ownership of the role’s responsibilities. This opportunity suits a highly motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and can easily adapt to changing market and organisational needs. An innovative and adaptable mindset will be key to delivering successful outcomes and achieving long-term job satisfaction.

Requirements

• BSc Food Science, BTech Food Technology, or a Culinary Arts qualification with 5–8 years’ experience (RTE product experience advantageous).
• Proven, relevant industry experience and knowledge across a wide range of RTE products.
• Proven experience in product development, including both kitchen and factory trials.
• Understanding of high- and low-risk food processing and effective segregation practices.
• Experience in driving product improvements.
• Experience in implementing process improvements within a factory environment.
• Understanding of critical control factors and chemical analysis to ensure food products are maintained in their optimum state.
• Working knowledge of packaging functionality and applications.
• Knowledge of food safety principles and practices.

Desired competencies and skills

• Project management skills for the successful delivery of key initiatives.
• Ability to capture structured and detailed documentation of kitchen and factory trials and processes.
• Well-versed in relevant food safety, labelling, and regulatory legislation.
• Team-player attitude with the ability to work effectively in a diverse and collaborative team environment.
• Commitment to excellence, high standards, and a continuous improvement mindset.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Well-developed sensory skills with diverse food experience and exposure.
• Strong capabilities in project management, strategic planning, and operational development.
• Fluency in Afrikaans and English, with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Assertive conflict resolution skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop innovative, high-quality products that align with Babylonstoren’s brand values of quality, freshness, innovation, inspiration, food safety, and value.
• Lead recipe development for RTE products.
• Manage kitchen and factory trials, including documentation and chemical analysis.
• Prepare and maintain quality assurance documentation, such as process flows and product specifications for new products.
• Lead product and process audits to improve existing products and ensure consistent high quality.
• Conduct shelf-life assessments and implement findings (microbially and organoleptically).
• Source and approve raw materials according to specifications for new ingredients.
• Troubleshoot quality issues and perform root-cause analyses with the quality team when recipe changes are required.
• Uphold international food manufacturing and processing standards, applying knowledge and experience of cutting-edge equipment and processing technology.