Head of Research And Development

About Us

PT Kharisma Aroma Nusantara is a fast-growing innovation-driven F&B ingredient company focused on creating authentic, market-relevant beverage and food ingredient solutions for Indonesia and beyond. We combine creativity, technology, and deep consumer insight to help brands create unique taste experiences.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Head of Research & Development to lead our product innovation pipeline, drive formulation excellence, and translate market trends into commercially successful beverage and ingredient solutions.

This role will oversee end-to-end R&D strategy across:

Beverage premix powder development

Functional and flavor innovation

Ingredient system optimization

Customer co-development projects

New technology scouting and implementation

Key Responsibilities

Innovation & Product Development

Lead development of new beverage premix formulations (powder, tea, flavor systems, functional blends)

Oversee scale-up from lab pilot commercial production

Drive product differentiation through flavor authenticity and functional performance

Develop IP, formulation libraries, and proprietary systems

Market & Commercial Alignment

Translate market trends into product innovation roadmap

Work closely with Sales and Business Development for customer-driven innovation

Support key client presentations and technical pitching

Technical & Quality Leadership

Ensure compliance with food safety, halal, and regulatory requirements

Improve formulation efficiency, cost optimization, and raw material substitution strategies

Implement structured R&D documentation and testing protocols

Team & Capability Building

Build and lead high-performance R&D team

Establish structured experimentation and product validation framework

Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Procurement, and Commercial teams

Ideal Candidate Profile

Education

Bachelor or Master in:

Food Technology

Food Science

Chemistry / Applied Chemistry

Chemical Engineering (Food focus preferred)

Experience

815 years in F&B product development or ingredient innovation

Experience in beverage premix, flavor house, or ingredient manufacturing is highly preferred

Experience scaling products into mass production

Technical Strength

Powder formulation systems

Flavor system interaction

Emulsification / micro-emulsion (high advantage)

Shelf-life optimization

Sensory-driven product design

Leadership Traits

Commercially minded innovator

Hands-on builder (not purely managerial)

Strong cross-functional communicator

High curiosity for trends and emerging ingredients