MBRF — a global food company present in the lives of thousands of families around the world — is hiring an organized and technically curious R&D Analyst for its Jeddah Factory in Saudi Arabia. This is a hands-on R&D role covering pilot plant coordination, product and packaging trials, R&D documentation and specifications (PPS), customer sample preparation, R&D inventory control, sensory evaluation and consumer research, and supplier cost-saving initiatives. It suits food professionals with a food science or food engineering degree, 3+ years of food industry experience, fluent English, and Jeddah-based or relocation-ready availability.
MBRF — Nourishing Life Through Quality, Innovation & People
From everyday meals to special moments, MBRF builds its work around quality, innovation, and the people behind it. The Jeddah Factory R&D team turns ideas into tested, compliant products and packaging that can be made at scale.
KEY REQUIREMENTS: Fluent English · Based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (or Willing to Relocate) · Middle East Experience Is an Advantage
About the Role — R&D Analyst, MBRF Jeddah Factory
Company: MBRF — global food company
Location: Jeddah Factory, Jeddah, Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia
R&D Scope: Pilot plant · Product & packaging trials · Specifications (PPS) · Customer samples · R&D inventory · Sensory & consumer research
Works With: Commercial · Marketing · Category · Brand · Innovation · Production · Quality · Engineering · Supply Chain · Procurement
Offer: Competitive compensation package · Global, collaborative environment · Growth opportunities
Why This R&D Analyst Role at MBRF Stands Out
Global Food Company, Local Factory: Work for one of the world’s largest food companies while sitting right at the Jeddah factory where products and packaging are tested, refined, and brought to life
Pilot Plant Hands-On Experience: You will coordinate trial scheduling, ingredient and packaging readiness, and safe execution — real, practical R&D work rather than purely desk-based analysis
Wide Cross-Functional Exposure: Collaborate with Commercial, Marketing, Brand, Innovation, Production, Quality, Engineering, and Supply Chain teams, plus customers and technical suppliers — a broad view of how food products actually reach the market
Career Growth: MBRF promises vertical, horizontal, and cross-functional growth, and R&D Analysts commonly progress toward Senior R&D Analyst, R&D Specialist, and R&D Manager roles in the Gulf’s growing food sector
Position Overview
The R&D Analyst at MBRF’s Jeddah Factory coordinates daily pilot plant activities — including trial scheduling, ingredient and packaging readiness, equipment availability, housekeeping, and safe execution. You will run product and packaging trials, record results, and assess technical feasibility, resource availability, costs, and compliance with business, quality, and regulatory requirements; create and maintain R&D documentation such as Product and Process Specifications (PPS), packaging and ingredient specifications, and trial records; prepare and send customer samples and follow up with Global Accounts and new clients; manage R&D inventory of ingredients, packaging materials, and finished-product samples; support product optimisation, portfolio maintenance, and quality actions; benchmark new categories and technologies; work with Procurement and suppliers on cost-saving and alternative-supplier trials; support ESG-related R&D activities; and prepare and document sensory evaluations and consumer research.
Why This Role Matters: Every food product that reaches a shelf started as a trial in a pilot plant. As R&D Analyst, you keep those trials organized, safe, and well documented — so the team can tell quickly whether a new recipe, ingredient, or packaging option actually works in practice. Your careful records, accurate specifications, and well-run trials save time, reduce cost, and help MBRF bring better products to customers with confidence.
Key Responsibilities
Pilot Plant Coordination & Trial Execution
- Coordinate daily pilot plant activities — trial scheduling, ingredient and packaging readiness, equipment availability, housekeeping, and safe execution
- Execute product and packaging trials, record results, and assess technical feasibility, resource availability, costs, and compliance with business, quality, and regulatory requirements
- Turn technical concepts and market needs into practical trial plans, product improvements, and process enhancements
R&D Documentation & Specifications
- Create and maintain R&D documentation, including Product and Process Specifications (PPS), packaging and ingredient specifications, trial records, and implementation follow-up
- Keep records accurate and up to date so findings can be trusted, repeated, and handed over to production and quality teams
Customer Samples & Client Follow-Up
- Prepare and dispatch customer samples, monitor Global Accounts products and agreed follow-up actions, and coordinate technical follow-up with new clients
R&D Inventory Management
- Manage R&D inventory of ingredients, packaging materials, and finished-product samples — accurate receipt, identification, storage, stock records, availability, and expiry-date control
Product Optimisation, Benchmarking & Quality Actions
- Support product optimisation, portfolio maintenance, and quality actions across the existing range
- Research and benchmark new product categories, technologies, and market opportunities to feed future innovation
Supplier Collaboration, Cost Savings & ESG
- Collaborate with Procurement and suppliers on cost-saving and alternative-supplier initiatives, including ingredient and packaging trials and technical evaluations
- Support agreed ESG-related R&D activities that align with the company’s commitments to customers, employees, and the environment
Sensory Evaluation, Consumer Research & Cross-Functional Delivery
- Prepare, support, and document sensory evaluations and consumer research that guide product decisions
- Work with Commercial, Marketing, Category, Brand, Innovation, Production, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, customers, and technical suppliers to deliver agreed project milestones on time
Qualifications & Requirements
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Engineering, Food Science, or a related discipline
- Minimum 3 years of experience in the food industry, preferably in Product & Packaging R&D, Production, Quality, or a related technical function
- Knowledge of food product development, manufacturing processes, sensory evaluation, quality requirements, and food safety practices; Middle East experience is an advantage
Skills & Location
- Fluent English and proficiency in Microsoft Office; familiarity with project-tracking and technical-document systems is an advantage
- Currently based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, or willing to relocate
Key Competencies
- Strong organisation and project-tracking skills, with attention to documentation accuracy and timely follow-up
- Good communication and interpersonal skills, working effectively across multicultural and cross-functional teams
- Ability to translate technical concepts and market needs into practical trial plans, products, and process improvements
About MBRF & the Food Industry in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
MBRF describes itself as a company present in the lives of thousands of families around the world, nourishing life through quality, innovation, and the people who make everything happen. Jeddah, the Kingdom’s main Red Sea port and a major commercial hub in the Makkah Region, is a strong location for food manufacturing, with excellent logistics connections and a large, diverse consumer market. Under Saudi Vision 2030, local food production and FMCG continue to expand, supporting steady demand for skilled R&D and food technology professionals who can combine technical knowledge with practical, well-documented trial work.
Career Outlook: R&D Analysts in Saudi food manufacturing can progress toward Senior R&D Analyst, R&D Specialist, R&D Manager, and Innovation Lead roles — respected, well-compensated positions in the Kingdom’s growing food and FMCG sector.
Who Should Apply?
- Food R&D Analysts & Technologists: With 3+ years in product or packaging R&D at a food manufacturer, comfortable running pilot plant trials and recording results carefully
- Production or Quality Professionals Moving into R&D: With strong factory-floor knowledge of food manufacturing, quality requirements, and food safety, ready to apply it in a development setting
- Food Science & Food Engineering Graduates: With relevant industry experience, solid documentation habits, and interest in sensory evaluation and consumer research
- Jeddah-Based Food Professionals: Currently living in Jeddah or ready to relocate, ideally with Middle East food industry experience
- Organized Cross-Functional Communicators: Who enjoy coordinating projects across marketing, production, quality, procurement, and customers in a multicultural team
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