Our client is a global leader in caramel colors and specialty caramel ingredients, with over a century of experience supporting the food and beverage industry! They offer a broad portfolio of clean-label solutions, including liquid and powdered caramel colors, burnt sugars, and syrups used across a wide range of applications. Known for their quality, consistency, and innovation, our client serves customers around the world with both standard and custom formulations!
The Director of Quality and R&D is a strategic leadership role that drives innovation, ensures food safety and regulatory compliance, and leads both Quality and R&D teams within a dynamic food ingredient manufacturing environment. This position aligns technical functions with business goals, overseeing product development, analytical testing, and method validation to support continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute strategic plans aligned with company goals.
- Strengthen customer/supplier collaboration and quality support programs.
- Define long-term lab strategy in response to tech, regulatory, and market trends.
- Build team capabilities and address infrastructure and talent needs.
- Oversee daily R&D and Quality lab operations, including method development and testing.
- Ensure compliance with global food safety standards (FDA, USDA, GFSI, etc.).
- Lead cross-functional product development, scale-ups, and process improvements.
- Manage lab quality systems, audits, documentation, and data integrity.
- Mentor and lead technical staff to foster innovation and growth.
- Represent the company in customer engagements and industry forums.
- Travel up to 20%.
Requirements:
- BS in Food Science, Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology, or related field
- 10+ years in the food ingredient industry
- 5+ years in leadership roles within regulated manufacturing environments
- Strong background in analytical chemistry (e.g., GC, GC/MS, MS)
- Experience in budgeting, procurement, cost control, and LIMS systems
- Familiar with food labeling, product claims, and global regulatory standards
- Knowledge of global food safety and third-party certifications
Preferred:
- Masters or PhD in technical field
- Experience with Six Sigma, Lean, or other continuous improvement methodologies
