Senior Food Scientist

NEAT is a luxury healthcare company established in 2019, offering fresh and nutritional meal services tailored to the clients' body and goals. From subscription plans to private dining and catering services, NEAT focuses on providing healthy and flavorful meals using the best produce available. The company values cleanliness, freshness, and the culinary passion of its chefs to create culinary masterpieces for clients worldwide.

Company: Neat Meals

Location: Mumbai

Employment Type: Full-time | Leadership Role

Role Overview

The Head of R&D (Beverages & Nutrition) will be responsible for leading the formulation, research, testing, and innovation of all Neat Meals beverage products. This leader will establish R&D processes, manage external labs and suppliers, ensure regulatory compliance, and build a future-facing product pipeline.

This is a foundational role — working directly with the founders, marketing, and operations teams to turn concepts into commercially successful beverages.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define the innovation roadmap for beverages aligned with brand vision.
• Build and lead an R&D function (scientists, food technologists, lab partnerships).
• Stay ahead of global beverage trends, functional ingredients, and health sciences.

Product Development & Formulation

• Formulate and optimize beverages for nutrition, flavour, cost, and shelf-life.
• Innovate with functional ingredients (proteins, adaptogens, botanicals, natural sweeteners, probiotics, etc.).
• Run pilot trials, sensory studies, and consumer testing before scaling.

Regulatory & Compliance

• Ensure FSSAI compliance for all products and validate nutrition/health claims.
• Manage food safety testing, certifications, and quality standards.

Scale-up & Manufacturing

• Partner with manufacturing units and co-packers to scale formulations.
• Solve for stability, packaging, and supply chain compatibility.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Marketing for claims, positioning, and product storytelling.
• Collaborate with Operations/Finance on cost optimization and sourcing.
• Present innovation updates to founders and investors.

Desired Profile

• Education: Master’s/PhD in Food Technology, Food Science, or Nutrition.
• Proven track record of developing and launching beverage products (functional beverages a plus).
• Expertise in food chemistry, sensory science, nutrition, and functional ingredients.
• Strong knowledge of FSSAI and international regulations.
• Experience setting up or leading an R&D lab/team.
• Creative thinker with the ability to balance science, consumer insight, and commercial viability.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to manage both internal and external stakeholders.