Head R&D; (Nutraceuticals) Company: Innovertus Nutrition Ltd. (Neulife)

Location:
Mumbai

Experience:
7–9 Years Employment Type: Full-Time At Innovertus (Neulife), we are passionate about developing high-performance nutrition products that bring together science, innovation, taste, texture, and quality. We are looking for an experienced and commercially driven Head – R&D; to lead our product development and innovation function. This leadership position will be responsible for driving new product innovation, strengthening formulation capabilities, and taking products from concept to commercial launch. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise in sports nutrition, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, or functional foods, along with the ability to lead teams, build processes, evaluate emerging ingredients and technologies, and translate consumer and market needs into commercially successful products. We are looking for someone who combines strong scientific knowledge, hands-on formulation expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership capability.

Key Responsibilities
1. End-to-End Product Development
• Lead the complete product development lifecycle, from concept creation and ingredient selection to formulation, laboratory trials, validation, scale-up, and commercial launch.
• Drive the development of nutrition supplements, protein powders, functional foods, bars, ready-to-drink (RTD) products, and other relevant product formats.
• Ensure formulations meet defined standards for nutritional performance, taste, texture, quality, stability, and cost.
• Establish product development timelines and ensure projects move efficiently from ideation to commercialization. 2. Formulation, Flavour & Product Excellence
• Provide technical direction on formulation development, ingredient compatibility, flavour systems, sweeteners, solubility, mouthfeel, and texture optimization.
• Lead formulation trials and troubleshoot complex product development challenges.
• Drive sensory evaluation and product testing to ensure consumer acceptability.
• Ensure products deliver a strong balance of nutritional performance, sensory experience, and commercial viability. 3. Product Scale-Up & Commercialization




• Oversee the transition of laboratory formulations to pilot and commercial-scale production.
• Work closely with manufacturing partners, supply chain, procurement, and quality teams to ensure successful commercialization.
• Evaluate raw materials, ingredient specifications, manufacturing processes, and alternative sourcing options.
• Resolve formulation and production challenges during scale-up while maintaining product consistency.
• Ensure successful product launches within defined timelines and budgets. 4. Stability, Quality & Regulatory Alignment
• Establish protocols for stability testing, shelf-life evaluation, product validation, and performance monitoring.
• Work closely with Quality and Regulatory teams to ensure compliance with applicable FSSAI requirements and relevant food safety standards.
• Ensure appropriate technical documentation, formulation records, specifications, and product development reports are maintained.
• Drive continuous improvement in product quality, consistency, and performance. Mandatory Experience & Technical Expertise Candidates must meet both the following essential criteria: 1. Relevant Industry Experience – Mandatory
• Must have prior R&D; / Product Development experience specifically in Sports Nutrition, Nutraceuticals, Dietary Supplements, or Functional Foods.
• Experience exclusively in general FMCG, conventional food processing, or unrelated food categories will not be considered sufficient.
• Candidates with direct experience in sports nutrition and protein-based nutrition products will be strongly preferred. 2. Hands-on Formulation & Product Development – Mandatory
• Must have personally developed, formulated, tested, and optimized products, particularly protein-based formulations, protein powders, nutrition supplements, protein bars,



and/or Ready-to-Drink (RTD) products.
• Must demonstrate practical expertise in ingredient selection, formulation development, flavour and texture optimization, stability testing, and product performance.
• Must have experience taking formulations from laboratory trials through scale-up and commercial production.
• Experience limited to managing R&D; teams, coordinating product development, or overseeing projects without direct formulation involvement will not qualify. Additional Qualifications & Competencies
• 7–10 years of relevant experience in R&D;, product development, or innovation, with prior experience in a senior R&D; leadership or team-management role.
• Strong understanding of ingredient functionality, nutritional formulations, stability, shelf life, and sensory evaluation.
• Experience working with manufacturing partners, contract manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and quality teams.
• Understanding of FSSAI regulations, product specifications, and food safety requirements.
• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Food Engineering, Nutrition Science, or a related discipline. A PhD will be an advantage.
• Robust leadership, communication, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to balance technical innovation with commercial viability and business priorities. Who Will Thrive at Neulife? You are a product innovator who understands both the science and the business of nutrition. You are curious about ingredients, passionate about creating products that perform, and particular about the details that make a formulation successful. You have the technical depth to solve complex formulation challenges and the leadership ability to build a high-performing R&D; function. You enjoy working at the intersection of science, consumer experience, and commercial opportunity. You are comfortable making decisions, driving cross-functional collaboration, and taking complete ownership of turning product ideas into successful market-ready innovations. At Neulife, you won't just manage product development. You will shape the future of our product portfolio.

📌 R&D Head – Nutraceuticals (Mumbai)
🏢 Neulife Nutrition
📍 Mumbai