Teamlead R&D Botanicals

Persona Staff; Stellenbosch; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Persona Staff is seeking a highly skilled R&D/Manufacturing Specialist in Stellenbosch, South Africa, to lead extraction processes from lab to commercial scale. You will oversee trials, validate processes, and collaborate with Operations, Quality, Procurement, Product and Sales teams.

The role requires a strong background in chemistry or related field, 7–10+ years in botanical extraction or nutraceuticals, and proven capability to drive scale-up and problem solving.

Qualifications

• BSc/BTech/MSc or equivalent in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Food Science, Pharmaceutical Science, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical feasibility assessments and new product development.

Skills

R&D Experience

Analytical skills

Root cause analysis

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Independent work

Education

BSc/BTech/MSc in Chemistry/related field

Job description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead technical feasibility assessments and new product development.
• Develop and optimize extraction and manufacturing processes.
• Plans oversee laboratory, pilot and commercial-scale trials.
• Lead technical scale-up and manufacturing validation.
• Investigate process deviations, poor yields and technical challenges.
• Drive root-cause investigations and corrective actions.
• Develop product specifications and analytical requirements.
• Evaluate raw materials, suppliers and pre-production samples.
• Interpret analytical data and assess product quality and performance.
• Provide technical support for customer-related product issues.
• Identify opportunities to improve yield, quality, consistency and manufacturing efficiency.
• Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Procurement, Product and Sales teams.
• Lead and develop a small team of analytical/laboratory specialists.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• BSc/BTech/MSc or equivalent in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Food Science, Pharmaceutical Science, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering or a related field.
• Ideally 7–10+ years' relevant R&D/technical experience.
• Experience in botanical extraction, natural ingredients, food ingredients, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals or related manufacturing.
• Proven experience taking products from laboratory development through to commercial production.
• Strong knowledge of extraction, filtration, concentration and drying processes.
• Experience with analytical data, specifications and technical investigations.
• Strong root-cause analysis and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and make sound technical decisions.
• Strong project management and cross-functional communication skills.
• Commercial and manufacturing mindset with a focus on practical, scalable solutions.