Food Technologist

Food Technologist — Quality & Innovation

ROLE OVERVIEW

This person owns product quality from raw material intake to finished goods dispatch, while simultaneously driving R&D to develop new formulations and improve existing recipes across our dairy, vegan, and Kombucha product lines. This is a dual-function role — quality gatekeeper and innovation engine.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Mandatory

•     B.Sc. / M.Sc. in Food Technology, Food Science, or Dairy Technology — from a recognized university (NDRI, CFTRI, Gujarat Agricultural University, or equivalent)

•     Minimum 60% aggregate in core food science subjects

•     Working knowledge of microbiology and food chemistry — either through degree curriculum or hands-on lab exposure

Strongly Preferred

•     M.Sc. Food Technology or M.Tech Food Process Engineering — for stronger R&D capability

•     Diploma or certification in HACCP, FSSAI compliance, or ISO 22000 food safety management

•     Microbiology coursework or lab training (relevant for Kombucha fermentation and dairy safety testing)

Bonus

•     Exposure to plant-based food formulation or fermentation science during academic projects or internships

•     FSSAI Basic Training Certificate (or willingness to complete within 3 months of joining)

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

•     2–5 years in a food manufacturing environment — dairy, beverage, fermented foods, or packaged goods

•     Hands-on QC lab experience: pH testing, titration, microbial sampling, moisture analysis, sensory evaluation

•     Has worked with production teams to define or enforce SOPs and batch release protocols

•     Exposure to R&D activities — scaling recipes from trial batches to full production runs

•     Experience with FSSAI documentation, audit readiness, or supplier quality management is a plus

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Quality Control & Assurance (QC / QA)

•     Own end-to-end quality for all product lines: Kombucha, cheese, butter, vegan dips, and packaged goods

•     Define and maintain testing protocols for raw materials, in-process checks, and finished goods

•     Conduct and record daily QC lab tests: pH, acidity, Brix, microbial counts, moisture, texture, shelf-life

•     Issue batch release approvals and maintain batch-level quality records

•     Establish and enforce SOPs for sanitation, CIP (clean-in-place), and hygiene across all production areas

•     Manage non-conformances — root cause analysis, corrective action, and closure

•     Prepare the facility for FSSAI audits and maintain regulatory documentation

•     Coordinate with procurement for supplier quality checks and raw material COA verification

Research & Development

•     Develop new formulations and improve existing recipes for dairy, vegan, and fermented product lines

•     Run pilot-scale trials and document formulation iterations, ingredient ratios, and process parameters

•     Scale successful trial batches to full production in coordination with the Plant Head

•     Conduct shelf-life studies and stability testing for new and reformulated products

•     Research ingredient substitutions for cost optimization without compromising product quality

•     Support new product launches from concept to production-ready stage

•     Maintain a formulation register with all active and archived recipes

Documentation & Reporting

•     Maintain QC log books, batch records, and non-conformance registers

•     Prepare weekly quality summary reports for the Founder's review

•     Track QC trends and flag recurring issues proactively

TECHNICAL SKILLS REQUIRED

•     Food chemistry and microbiology — can interpret lab results and make decisions

•     Fermentation science — understanding of pH, SCOBY health, carbonation, and Kombucha batch variables

•     Dairy technology — pasteurization, coagulation, aging, and moisture control for cheese and butter

•     Vegan formulation — knowledge of hydrocolloids, plant proteins, and texture systems

•     HACCP principles and critical control point identification

•     Basic statistical tools for QC (SPC, trend tracking, Cp/Cpk concepts)

•     Proficient in MS Excel for QC data entry, trend tracking, and basic reporting

SOFT SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

•     Detail-oriented with zero tolerance for quality shortcuts

•     Strong written documentation habits — everything must be recorded

•     Able to work directly with the Founder and take ownership without hand-holding

•     Collaborative with production team — enforces standards without creating friction

•     Curious and self-driven in R&D — not just a compliance person

•     Comfortable with fast-moving, lean startup environment