Product Development Scientist - Food

Placements24; Soweto; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary bonus

Medical aid

Retirement fund

Professional development

Industry conferences

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a creative Product Development Scientist in Soweto to lead the ideation, formulation, and testing of new FMCG food products. You will guide benchtop experiments, supervise scale-up, and collaborate with marketing, operations, and quality teams to ensure successful launches.

You should have a Master’s or PhD in Food Science with at least four years of industry experience, strong food chemistry knowledge, and proven innovation capability.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Food Science or related field.
• Minimum 4 years of FMCG food product development experience.
• Strong knowledge of food chemistry, processing, and preservation techniques.
• Proven ability to innovate and bring products to market.
• Excellent sensory evaluation and statistical analysis skills.
• Strong communication and project management abilities.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, develop, and formulate new food products focusing on taste, texture, nutrition, and shelf-life.
• Conduct laboratory experiments and sensory evaluations on prototypes.
• Optimize existing formulations to improve quality or reduce costs.
• Collaborate with marketing, operations, and QA throughout development.
• Scale up formulations from benchtop to pilot plant and production.
• Stay updated on emerging food technologies and market trends.

Skills

Food science

Formulation

Sensory evaluation

Statistics

Project management

Communication

Education

Master's in Food Science

PhD in Food Science

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a creative and experienced Product Development Scientist specializing in food science to join their innovation team in Soweto . This role is crucial for developing new and improved food products that meet consumer needs and align with market trends within the FMCG sector. You will be involved in the entire product development lifecycle, from ideation and formulation to benchtop testing and pilot plant scale-up. This is an exciting opportunity for a scientifically-minded professional to shape the future of food products for a leading FMCG company .

Key Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, develop, and formulate new food products, focusing on taste, texture, nutritional value, and shelf-life.
• Conduct laboratory experiments and sensory evaluations to test product prototypes.
• Optimize existing product formulations to improve quality, reduce costs, or meet new regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, operations, and quality assurance, throughout the development process.
• Scale up product formulations from benchtop to pilot plant and commercial production.
• Research and stay abreast of emerging food technologies, ingredients, and consumer trends.

Requirements

• Master's degree or PhD in Food Science, Chemistry, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in food product development within the FMCG industry.
• Strong knowledge of food chemistry, processing, and preservation techniques.
• Proven ability to innovate and bring new food products to market.
• Excellent understanding of sensory evaluation and statistical analysis.
• Strong communication, project management, and problem-solving skills.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonus structure.
• Comprehensive medical aid and retirement fund.
• Opportunities for professional development and attending industry conferences.
• Be at the forefront of innovation in the FMCG food sector.
• A collaborative and research-driven work environment.