R&D Supervisor – Instrumentation & Sensory Analyst

About the role

The R&D Supervisor – Instrumentation & Sensory Analyst leads the laboratory’s analytical instrumentation and sensory evaluation programme, ensuring accurate data to support new product development, product improvement and cost‑optimisation in a food manufacturing environment.

Key responsibilities

• Operate, calibrate and maintain a range of analytical instruments (texture analyzers, viscometers, colorimeters, moisture analyzers, particle‑size analyzers, pH meters, water‑activity meters, NIR and HPLC) and manage calibration and preventive‑maintenance schedules.
• Design, plan and execute sensory evaluation programmes, recruit and train internal panels, and analyse sensory data to provide actionable insights for product development.
• Develop and validate SOPs for physical, physicochemical and instrumental analyses, ensuring compliance with GLP, ISO and food‑safety standards.
• Lead product profiling, recipe development, shelf‑life studies and pilot‑scale plant trials, troubleshooting BOM or process issues to avoid production shutdowns.
• Supervise, coach and evaluate laboratory technicians and sensory panelists, enforcing HSE, 5S and safe‑handling procedures.
• Maintain audit‑ready documentation, support internal and external audits, and participate in root‑cause investigations for quality complaints.
• Collaborate with Product Development, QA, Production, Procurement and Marketing, providing data for reformulation, cost‑optimisation and benchmarking projects.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science & Technology, Chemistry, Biochemistry or related field; postgraduate qualification is a plus.
• 3–5 years of experience in a food/beverage or FMCG laboratory with hands‑on instrumentation and sensory evaluation, plus supervisory or team‑lead experience.

Required skills

• Operation and maintenance of analytical instruments (texture analyzer, viscometer/rheometer, colorimeter/spectrophotometer, moisture analyzer, particle‑size analyzer, pH meter, water‑activity meter, NIR, HPLC).
• Sensory panel recruitment, training, calibration and data analysis using statistical software.
• Knowledge of GLP, ISO 17025, ISO 9001, HACCP, 5S and food‑safety regulations (e.g., NAFDAC, SON).
• Calibration management, preventive maintenance planning and troubleshooting of laboratory equipment.