A food manufacturer in Saudi Arabia is looking for an experienced Food R&D Specialist to develop and refine food formulations, with a particular focus on date-based products, fruit mixtures, and confectionery. This is an on-site role for a food developer who enjoys hands-on formulation work and wants to see a recipe move from the bench to a full production line. As Food R&D Specialist, you’ll develop and optimize formulations and ingredient ratios; improve texture, binding, consistency, and moldability; keep flavour consistent and products stable with a good shelf life; run laboratory experiments and pilot production trials; and transfer successful formulations from development into industrial-scale production. The role requires a bachelor’s degree in food science or food technology, and practical experience in food R&D and formulation. Experience with date paste, food pastes, or confectionery is highly preferred, and candidates must be willing to relocate to Saudi Arabia.

About the Employer — Date Products & Confectionery in Saudi Arabia

Location: Saudi Arabia (on-site)

Product Focus: Date-based products, fruit mixtures, and confectionery

Development Path: Laboratory work, pilot production, and industrial scale-up

Quality Priorities: Flavour consistency, texture, product stability, and shelf life

Work Model: On-site, with relocation to Saudi Arabia required

Food R&D Specialist Role — Formulation, Pilot Trials & Scale-Up

Department: Research & Development

Primary Focus: Formulation, texture and consistency, pilot trials, scale-up transfer

Scope: Date pastes, fruit mixtures, and confectionery products

Mission: Turning well-made recipes into stable, scalable food products

To Apply:Send your CV to maryam.essam.rb80@gmail.com Please include your years of experience and examples of previously developed

Food R&D Specialist Position Overview

The Food R&D Specialist role is about building products that work well in the kitchen, on the bench, and on the production line. Date-based products, fruit mixtures, and confectionery have their own challenges. Date paste and fruit mixtures behave differently from sugar-based sweets, and getting the texture, binding, and moldability right takes patient testing and sound judgement. Your work starts with formulation. You’ll develop and optimize recipes and ingredient ratios, adjusting them to improve texture, binding, consistency, and the way a product holds its shape. Flavour matters just as much. You’ll work to keep taste consistent from batch to batch, and you’ll make sure each product stays stable and keeps a good shelf life, which often means testing how the product changes over time. Laboratory experiments are the foundation of development, and they are followed by pilot production trials that show how a recipe performs at a larger scale. The most important step comes next: transferring a successful formulation from development into industrial production. That means documenting the recipe clearly, anticipating how the process will change at scale, and working with production colleagues so that the product comes out the same way on a full line as it did at the bench. Every stage of the work needs a careful record, because scale-up depends on knowing exactly what was done and why.

As Food R&D Specialist, you’ll build expertise in food formulation, ingredient functionality, and the practical realities of moving products from small batches to industrial volume. The ideal candidate holds a bachelor’s degree in food science or food technology and brings practical experience in food research and development, ideally with date paste, food pastes, or confectionery. Knowledge of industrial production and scale-up processes is important, as is the ability to test, refine, and document formulations with discipline. Candidates must be willing to relocate to Saudi Arabia, and it helps to show examples of products you have developed. For experienced food developers who want to shape a regional specialty product line on site in Saudi Arabia, this role offers hands-on influence from the first recipe to full production.

Why This Role Matters: As Food R&D Specialist in Saudi Arabia, you turn traditional date and fruit ingredients into products that customers enjoy and that the factory can make reliably, shape texture and stability through careful formulation, run the pilot trials that prove a recipe at scale, lead the transfer from development to full production, and build a career in food product development in the Kingdom.

Key Responsibilities & Development Duties

Formulation Development

Develop food formulations for date-based products
Develop fruit mixture and confectionery formulations
Optimize ingredient ratios for taste and structure
Adjust recipes to improve consistency between batches
Document each formulation version clearly
Build a library of tested product recipes

Texture, Binding & Moldability

Improve texture of date paste and fruit products
Improve binding so products hold together well
Refine consistency for handling and processing
Improve moldability for shaped confectionery
Test texture changes with repeatable methods
Adjust processing to protect product structure

Flavour, Stability & Shelf Life

Ensure flavour consistency across batches
Test product stability under storage conditions
Track changes in products over shelf life
Set shelf-life expectations based on test data
Identify and address flavour drift early
Work with ingredient functionality to extend shelf life

Laboratory Experiments & Pilot Trials

Plan and run laboratory experiments
Conduct pilot production trials
Record trial conditions and outcomes accurately
Analyse results and recommend next steps
Repeat trials to confirm findings
Keep laboratory practice safe and organized

Scale-Up & Technology Transfer

Transfer formulations from development to industrial production
Anticipate changes in process at larger scale
Work with production teams on line trials
Document process parameters for production use
Support smooth handover to the production team
Troubleshoot issues found during scale-up

Collaboration & Documentation

Work with production, quality, and supply teams
Keep formulation and trial records complete
Share development updates with stakeholders
Support compliance with food safety requirements
Maintain traceability of formulation changes
Support ingredient sourcing decisions

Qualifications & Requirements

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science
Bachelor’s degree in Food Technology

Experience

Practical experience in food R&D and formulation
Knowledge of industrial production and scale-up processes

Preferred Experience

Experience with date paste or food pastes (highly preferred)
Experience in confectionery product development
Examples of previously developed products

Mobility & Application

Willingness to relocate to Saudi Arabia
Years of experience stated in the application
Examples of products developed submitted with the CV

Career Development & Growth Opportunities

Professional Advancement

Pathway toward Senior Food Scientist or R&D Manager roles
Opportunity to lead product development for a product line
Exposure to full development-to-production cycles
Growth in a regional food specialty business

Learning & Development

Hands-on experience in date and confectionery formulation
Pilot plant and scale-up experience
Development of texture and stability testing skills
Experience in technology transfer to industrial lines

About the Employer — Developing Date and Fruit Products in the Kingdom

The employer focuses on food products built around dates, fruit mixtures, and confectionery, combining traditional ingredients with modern product development. Its development team works from laboratory experiments through pilot production trials to industrial scale-up, with an emphasis on consistent flavour, stable texture, and a reliable shelf life. The company values developers who can turn a good recipe into a product that performs the same way on every line.

Career Excellence in Food Product Development: Join a food development team in Saudi Arabia, formulate date-based and confectionery products, run pilot trials, lead the transfer to industrial production, and build a career in food R&D in the Kingdom.