Director of Research Development

Brainpull · Pavia, Lombardia, Italia · 22-02-2026 · 90€ - 110€

Descrizione dell'offerta

Director of R&D – Pet Food Ingredients

Location: Italy (Onsite)

Role Overview

My client is seeking an experienced Director of R&D to lead innovation and product development across its pet food ingredient portfolio. This is a senior leadership role combining hands‑on technical expertise, people leadership, and strategic input at European level.

The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping future product pipelines, supporting customer‑specific formulation work, and contributing to M&A technical evaluations, while building and leading a high‑performing R&D team in a newly established laboratory environment.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and develop an R&D team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and scientific excellence
Drive the development of new products across pet food applications
Oversee the continuous improvement and optimisation of existing products, focusing on performance, palatability, stability, and cost efficiency
Translate customer requirements into tailored formulations, working closely with commercial and technical stakeholders to deliver differentiated solutions
Provide technical and formulation expertise to support customer projects and strategic partnerships
Conduct technical due diligence and product analysis for potential M&A targets, assessing formulation robustness, scalability, and innovation potential
Operate within and help shape workflows in a newly built laboratory, supporting method development, testing, and validation
Act as a member of the European leadership team, contributing to R&D strategy, innovation roadmaps, and long‑term growth plans across Europe

Candidate Profile

10–15 years’ experience in R&D within ingredients, nutrition, or pet food/feed‑related industries
Master’s degree or PhD in Animal Nutrition, Food Science, or a closely related discipline
Proven experience working with palatants and/or antioxidants (pet food experience preferred but not mandatory)
Demonstrated people leadership experience, including managing and developing technical teams
Strong formulation mindset with the ability to link customer needs to commercially viable solutions
Comfortable operating in a senior, cross‑functional and international environment
Business‑professional English required (Italian advantageous but not essential)
Annual bonus
Comprehensive insurance policies

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