Open Secret -Head /Lead Food Technologist (R&D)

About Us

The Company is a fast-growing, innovation-driven food & beverage brand making snacks for

new India. We are on a mission to transform the way India snacks by creating a range of

healthy snack options that are delicious, healthier, and guilt-free. We blend food science, great

taste, and transparency to create better-for-you products families love.

About the Role

As Lead - Food Technologist, you will own the technical innovation pipeline—from

early-stage recipe ideation through successful large-scale manufacturing. This is not a

laboratory-only position. You'll be the critical bridge between market opportunity, consumer

insights, manufacturing feasibility, and regulatory reality. You'll work directly with contract

manufacturers, external consultants, ingredient suppliers, and internal teams to transform raw

concepts into production-ready, market-winning products.

This role demands hustle, pragmatism, and solutions-orientation—the ability to navigate

constraints (cost, ingredient availability, shelf life, FSSAI compliance) while maintaining

product integrity and delivering breakthrough innovation.

We are scaling fast and we face new challenges everyday, you need to think fast, solve fast

and if necessary, fail fast.

Key Responsibilities

1. Product Development and Formulation

Lead recipe development and prototype creation aligned with market trends and

Company's healthy snacking positioning

Design formulations balancing sensory appeal, nutritional efficacy, cost, and

manufacturability.

Conduct sensory evaluation, shelf-life testing, and quality analysis.

Create detailed technical documentation(SOPs,BOM, process

specifications)

2. Scale-Up and Manufacturing Partnership

Identify, evaluate, and partner with contract manufacturers for production

Manage pilot batches and troubleshoot scale-up issues affecting taste, texture, shelf

life, or nutrition

Establish quality control checkpoints and standardize processes with manufacturing

partners

Ensure packaging and material compatibility for ingredient stability and shelf life

3. FSSAI Compliance and Regulatory Navigation

Ensure all products meet FSSAI regulations for composition, labeling, and safety

Manage novel food approvals and regulatory submissions

Guide ingredient sourcing for compliance with food safety standards (HACCP, GMP,

ISO 22000)

Build relationships with accredited testing labs for validation

4. Consultant and Vendor Engagement

Identify and manage external consultants for specialized technical needs

(functional ingredients, processing, allergen management)

Evaluate and partner with ingredient suppliers; ensure cost competitiveness and

regulatory suitability

Represent the Company in industry forums and maintain network of technical experts

5. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Product Management, Marketing, and Operations teams to translate

consumer insights into technical requirements

Support Quality Assurance and go-to-market teams with technical guidance and

validation

6. Innovation and Continuous Improvement

Identify emerging trends and evaluate commercial viability for the Company

Optimize existing products for cost reduction, sustainability, or improved nutrition

without compromising quality

Track competitor benchmarking and market innovations

Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or Food Engineering (or

equivalent qualification from a recognized institution)

2. Certifications in HACCP, FSSAI, or GMP compliance preferred

3. Proficiency in MS Office/Google Suite (especially Excel)

4. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare concise

documents

5. Positive attitude, strong sense of ownership, and willingness to go beyond the job

description as needed

6. The candidate must not have any history or current habit of tobacco consumption -

smoking, chewing, or vaping. (Tobacco is known to compromise a person sensory

ability)

Experience

1. 5 to 8 years of hands-on experience in food product development, formula

optimization, and scale-up manufacturing in an FMCG or food manufacturing

environment

2. Demonstrated experience transitioning prototypes from lab scale to commercial

manufacturing (minimum 3 – 5 successful product launches from concept to market)

3. Hands-on experience with sensory testing, shelf-life studies, and quality control testing

(chemical, microbiological, nutritional analysis)

4. Proven experience collaborating with contract manufacturers, ingredient suppliers,

and external consultants

5. Familiarity with FSSAI regulatory requirements, labeling standards, and approval

processes for novel foods or functional products

6. Experience in at least 2 of these categories: bakery, savoury snacks, breakfast

cereals, or protein-based foods