Job Title

Position: Assistant Manager – Quality & R&DDepartment: Quality Assurance, Food Safety & Research and DevelopmentLocation: New Delhi / Production FacilityIndustry: Fresh Fruits & Vegetables, Kombucha, Condiments & Food ManufacturingReports To: AVP Operations Role OverviewWe are looking for an experienced and proactive Assistant Manager – Quality & R&D to build and lead our Quality and Research & Development function from the ground up. This role will be responsible for establishing robust quality systems, food safety standards, documentation processes, product innovation pipelines, shelf-life studies, and manufacturing SOPs across our Fresh Fruits & Vegetables (F&V), Kombucha, and Condiments verticals.The ideal candidate should have strong expertise in food quality, regulatory compliance, audits, process standardization, and new product development, with the ability to work in a fast-paced startup manufacturing environment.Key Responsibilities1) Quality Systems & Food SafetySet up the entire Quality Assurance department from scratchDevelop and implement SOPs, GMP, GHP, HACCP and food safety protocolsEnsure compliance with FSSAI, FOSTAC, audit, and internal quality standardsCreate quality check points across procurement, production, packaging, dispatch and storageDesign and monitor CCPs (Critical Control Points) for manufacturingEstablish batch traceability and product recall systemsBuild documentation for:incoming material inspectionin-process checksfinished goods releaserejection / hold processCAPA / RCAdeviation reportsConduct internal audits and support external audits2) R&D / Product DevelopmentLead new product development for kombucha, condiments, and processed F&V productsWork on new flavour development, product trials, and recipe standardizationOptimize taste, shelf life, stability, texture and packaging compatibilityConduct trial batches and pilot runsDevelop BOMs, recipes, process sheets and manufacturing instructionsLead product improvement based on customer and market feedbackWork on cost optimization without compromising quality3) Shelf Life & Stability StudiesDesign and execute shelf-life studiesMonitor microbial, sensory and physical parametersMaintain stability reports for each SKURecommend storage and transport conditionsValidate expiry and best-before timelines4) Vendor & Raw Material QualityCreate vendor qualification and approval standardsSet specifications for:fruits and vegetablescultures / SCOBYsugar / tea / flavour ingredientspackaging materialConduct vendor audits and rejection analysisDefine acceptance criteria for incoming raw materials5) Team Building & Department SetupBuild the Quality and R&D team structureHire and train executives / QA officersCreate training modules for production staff and warehouse teamsEstablish daily quality reporting dashboardsWork cross-functionally with production, procurement and operations teamsCandidate RequirementsBachelor’s / Master’s degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Microbiology, Biotechnology or related field4–7 years of experience in food manufacturing quality and R&DPrior experience in beverages, fermented products, condiments, sauces, or fresh produce processingStrong understanding of:FSSAIGMP / GHPHACCPCAPA / RCAshelf-life studiesmicrobial standardsExperience in startup / scale-up manufacturing preferredPreferred ExperienceExperience with kombucha / fermented beverage manufacturingFresh produce quality systemsCold chain and shelf-life managementExperience in setting up departments from scratchAudit readiness and documentation excellence