Level Up is looking for a Senior R&D Consultant who will provide high-level technical direction for a new food ingredient manufacturing project during the pre-operational stage. The consultant will guide product-track selection, review trial design, challenge technical assumptions, assess process and scale-up risks, and advise the internal team before pilot validation and plant commissioning. The role requires strong ingredient-processing judgment, export awareness, and the ability to translate development work into practical manufacturing decisions.
Key Responsibilities:
Provide strategic technical guidance for the pre-operational development of a new food ingredient manufacturing project.
Advise on product-track selection, formulation strategy, and manufacturing feasibility to support project objectives.
Review and evaluate trial designs, technical assumptions, and development plans to identify process and scale-up risks.
Provide expert recommendations on food chemistry, ingredient functionality, process optimization, and product stability.
Guide the internal team in preparing for pilot trials, plant validation, and commissioning activities.
Support technical decision-making related to commercialization, export readiness, and manufacturing implementation.
Mentor and collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure development activities align with practical manufacturing and industry best practices.
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or closely related field; advanced technical training or graduate-level food science experience is an advantage.
Minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in food R&D, ingredient development, process development, food manufacturing, pilot-scale validation, or commercial scale up including frozen food processing and export-oriented manufacturing
At least 8 years of senior technical leadership experience in food product development, manufacturing feasibility, commercialization, technical consulting, or plant-based ingredient system
Strong technical command of food chemistry, including starch functionality, moisture control, water activity, pH, pigment stability, enzymatic browning, heat effects, viscosity, texture, ingredient interactions, and shelf-life behavior.
Experience with puree, IQF, frozen, chilled, dried, sauce, filling, beverage base, bakery ingredient, food-service ingredient, or industrial ingredient formats is strongly preferred plus frozen fruit or vegetable ingredient, and frozen root crop ingredients
Food export experience is strongly preferred, especially involving export-ready ingredient formats, technical documentation, cold-chain requirements, buyer specification, and B2B customer expectation
Demonstrate experience advising on pilot trials, plant trials, process flow design, formulation strategy, specification, technical troubleshooting, and scale-up decisions
Experience advising entrepreneurs, processors, exporters, or food manufacturing start-ups during pre-operational planning, commissioning, or early commercialization
Experience reviewing or preparing technical data sheets, product specification, COA requirements, process validation records, sample dispatch protocols, and buyer-facing technical documentation