Kerja Sepenuh Masa, Assistant Manager, Product R-D di ZUS COFFEE Selangor - Maukerja

Qualifications & Skills:

• Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, Culinary Arts, or a related scientific discipline.
• Certifications (Bonus): Professional barista/sensory certifications (e.g., Specialty Coffee Association) or advanced culinary certifications are highly preferred.
• Years of Experience: Generally requires 3 to 5+ years of experience in F&B research and development, product management, or new product development (NPD).
• Industry Focus: Proven experience within a multi-outlet cafe chain, Quick Service Restaurant (QSR), or F&B retail environment.
• Niche Domain Knowledge: Strong background specifically in coffee, tea, RTD (ready-to-drink) beverages, or dairy/syrup formulations.
• Store-Level Practicality: Ability to craft digital Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that retail baristas can easily execute during rush periods without slowing down throughput.
• Possess good sensory skills for product benchmarking and development.
• Good interest and knowledge in ingredient formulation and development.
• Computer literate - proficient with Microsoft Office & Excel, other relevant software and application.
• Good command of written and spoken English and Tagalog.
• Behavioral traits: good interpersonal skills, excellent problem-solving and creative thinking, ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, strong attention to detail and documentation practices.
• Additional requirements: no food restriction, no food allergy; possess own transport and willing to travel.

 A necessity, not a luxury 

Lead end-to-end new product development and localization of food and beverage products for a multi-outlet F&B retail/cafe environment. Manage multiple product development projects, align with regional product teams, conduct sensory testing and market research, ensure food safety and quality compliance, and collaborate with operations, QA, marketing and supply chain to launch competitive products.

Position Responsibilities:

• Leading & Participating in New Product Development, starting from A to Z (ideation to launch).
• Manage multiple product development projects concurrently, overseeing timelines, resources and budgets effectively.
• Collaborate closely with regional product team to align strategies, share insights, and contribute to overall success of regional product portfolio.
• Ensure local product development efforts align with regional standards and framework.
• Create, enhance, & localize product menu that fills a niche in the competitive F&B market.
• Responsible for developing localized beverages and/or food based on market trends, sales data, operation effectiveness and customer demography.
• Establish costing information for new and revised formulation.
• Aid in preparation of beverage & food tasting sessions and constantly iterate rapidly.
• Conduct comprehensive market and consumer research to identify emerging trends, technologies, and opportunities for new product development.
• Gather, analyze, and maintain product, flavor, market, and technology trend information and come up with feasibility report to ensure products are always viable and competitive.
• Work collectively with internal teams (Operations, QA/QC, Marketing and Supply Chain) throughout the product development processes to ensure successful product launch to the market.
• Provide regular updates to the regional team on local market dynamics and opportunities.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure the successful execution of product launches.
• Identify and evaluate potential suppliers, partners, and external resources to support research and development initiatives.
• Communicate constantly and build good rapport with vendors.
• Perform testing on product stability, shelf-life evaluation and any other tests as per required.
• Ensure all products comply with Food Safety Standards & Regulations.
• Conduct investigations and propose solutions to address all product complaints or feedback.
• Implement and oversee quality control measures throughout the product development process.
• Maintain accurate documentation of experiments, procedures and results to facilitate knowledge sharing and intellectual property protection.
• Responsible for other ad-hoc tasks as assigned by superior / management from time to time.
• Foster collaboration with regional product team to share best practices and insights.
• Responsible for the upkeep of product SOP.