R&D Innovation Specialist, Savory & Culinary (Food Ingredients)

Job Description

Location:Bonifacio Global City, Manila, Philippines

Reporting manager: Regional Customer Solution Centre Lead

R&D / Innovation Specialist – Savory & Culinary

Join ofi and play a key role in establishing our local innovation and application capability in the Philippines. This role will lead customer-focused product development, technical solutioning and commercialization across savory and culinary applications. Working within a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment, you will partner closely with customers, commercial teams and manufacturing to bring innovative food solutions from concept to launch. As the business grows, this role may evolve to lead a small local technical team.

Key Responsibilities

Product Development & Application Innovation

• Develop seasonings, marinades, coatings, sauces, culinary premixes and related savory solutions for the Philippines market.
• Translate customer and consumer insights into commercially viable product concepts and formulations.
• Deliver sensory evaluation, benchmarking, formulation optimization and technical problem-solving.
• Leverage ingredient functionality to meet taste, performance, cost and stability requirements.
  
  

Customer Partnership & Technical Support

• Serve as the primary local technical contact for customers across CPG, QSR and Foodservice segments.
• Partner with commercial teams to interpret briefs, develop prototypes and support customer presentations, demonstrations and product launches.
• Build strong customer relationships and support trials and technical engagements across the Philippines.
  
  

Commercialization & Scale-Up

• Lead the transfer of successful formulations from bench to pilot and commercial production.
• Support plant trials, troubleshoot scale-up challenges and ensure manufacturing readiness.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain and Commercial teams to deliver projects efficiently.
  
  

Regional Collaboration & Innovation

• Coordinate regional technical support for sweet, beverage and dairy opportunities.
• Contribute to local and regional innovation initiatives and adapt regional solutions for the Philippines market.
• Identify alternative ingredients and solutions that enhance performance, supply resilience and cost competitiveness.
  
  

Laboratory Operations & Compliance

• Support the establishment and operation of the Innovation Lab in Bonifacio Global City.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, regulatory and quality requirements.
• Maintain accurate documentation, formulations and project records to build technical knowledge and best practices.
  
  

What You'll Bring

• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Culinary Science or a related discipline.
• 10-15 years of experience in savory and culinary applications, product development or technical customer solutions.
• Expertise in seasonings, marinades, coatings, sauces, premixes or related savory systems.
• Experience supporting CPG, QSR, Foodservice or B2B customers.
• Proven track record in product commercialization and manufacturing scale-up.
• Strong understanding of ingredient functionality and formulation development.
• Excellent customer-facing communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Proactive, hands-on approach with strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills.
• Fluent in English and familiar with the Philippines market and customer landscape.