R&D Snr Technical Specialist_Grains Agro - Paarl Eiland Street Office at PepsiCo

Responsibilities

What we’re looking for:

• Lead small to medium sized technical projects with minimal supervision.
• Develop in-depth understanding of the grains processed in the grains portfolio, understand value chain and supply/origin variable, risks associated and able to give specialist guidance to the business on cost vs quality attributes for best nett business benefit.
• Access and draw on various forms and origins of data and analyse to develop key technical insigts to support strategic business decisions.
• Support with new pilot plant and specialised laboratory equipment and analytical method development, implementation and training on any new methods at R&D and/or sites.
• Supporting business with technical related product queries through in-depth scientific research, analysis and networking and delivering concise, accurate and complete reports with insights and recommendations.
• Comprehensive tesing of raw materials and final products .Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the importance of product testing by ensuring quality and standards are maintained.  
  • Tests include but not limited to: Grading, colour, dumas protein, colour, cooking, texture analyses, visual and sensory, rheology, wheat and maize milling, sieve tests, Amylose. Alpha Amylase.
• Supporting procurement in to ensure business continuity through evaluation of samples of new suppliers against internal product specification.
• Co-ordinating, compiling, deriving insights and reporting on routine benchmarking.
• Co-ordinate, execute and reporting relating to proficiency testing across national footprint of site laboratories.
• Support R&D project timelines to ensure timeously delivery of AOP related projects.
• Draft R&D technical data such as process specifications and product testing protocols for approval of line manager.
• Maintain raw material product register for relevant agro and final products.
• Maintain raw material and relevant final product specifications and final product register (including MRT update) related to field.
• Work closely with Regulatory, FS & QA to ensure legal compliance.
• Support SQA and MQ process for new suppliers.
• Support agro programs for wheat and maize by partnering with the agro science team, breeders, farmers and supply chain to find breakthrough opportunities to bring innovation and productivity to the business.
• Provide ad hoc support to PD team and other agro functions I.e. line qualification, extrusion, specifications.
• Support and manage the budget spend and report back to manager on a monthly basis
• Support EHS activities to ensure safety in working environment
• Maintain raw material and relevant final product specifications and final product register (including MRT update) related to portfolio
• Support and have oversight of day to day operations in R&D anaylical laboratory

Qualifications

What will qualify you for the role:

• Degree in a Food Science, Food Technology or Chemical/Process Engineering with additional food background looking to build a long term career within R&D. A Post Graduate Degree will be preferred in cereal science or relevant field.
• 3-5 Years experience in product and research and development in Wheat, Maize, Rice & Legume industry.
• Good technical, analytical and communication skills, ability to interpret data and distil into useful and actionable information.
• Understanding of and experience with working on experimental design (recipe development).
• Meticulous attention to detail, strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Good understanding of applicable regulations.
• Ability to collaborate independently across multiple business functions including Operations and Marketing.
• Ability to communicate effectively to R&D Team, Marketing and Operations.
• Know the business; demonstrate a passion for mastering the details of the business, the marketplace, the consumer and understanding the role this position has upon that.
• Have an up to date knowledge of technology and be able to absorb and apply this knowledge.
• Creative thinking, be able to generate creative, workable ideas within the scope of projects.
• Results driven, demonstrate an ability to persevere and provide timely and direct feedback to others.
• Ability to work independently on multiple projects and to deal with change and increasing complexity.
• Self starter, self-motivating and experience of autonomous delivery.
• Integrity, safeguard the Company’s designs, formulations, processes and reputation in all matters.
• Drivers licence