Promasidor is an African company committed to the continent, manufacturing, marketing and selling unique brands that bring practicality and pleasure to millions of consumers across Africa. The company offers career opportunities across research and development, manufacturing, quality assurance, sales, marketing and other professional functions.
Promasidor is seeking a Research and Development Supervisor – Instrumentation & Sensory Analyst to manage the day-to-day operations of its R&D laboratory’s analytical instrumentation and sensory evaluation programme.
The role is responsible for ensuring that analytical equipment used in product development, quality assessment and shelf-life studies is accurately calibrated, validated and maintained. The successful candidate will also manage sensory testing activities, including panel recruitment, training, testing and data analysis, to support new product development, product improvement, cost optimisation and benchmarking initiatives.
Responsibilities
Instrumentation Management & Analytical Testing
Operate, calibrate and maintain R&D laboratory instruments, including texture analysers, viscometers/rheometers, colourimeters/spectrophotometers, moisture analysers, particle size analysers, pH meters, water activity meters, NIR analysers and HPLC.
Develop, validate and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) and test methods for physical, physicochemical and instrumental analysis of raw materials and finished products.
Plan and manage instrument calibration and preventive maintenance schedules.
Liaise with external calibration and service providers and maintain calibration certificates and equipment logbooks.
Troubleshoot instrument malfunctions, coordinate repairs and escalate recurring issues to minimise laboratory downtime.
Ensure analytical data is accurate, properly recorded, statistically sound and traceable in line with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and relevant ISO and food safety standards.
Drive 5S implementation and compliance within the R&D instrumentation laboratory and pilot plant.
Sensory Analysis & Panel Management
Design, plan and execute sensory evaluation programmes, including triangle, duo-trio and paired comparison tests, descriptive analysis, hedonic/consumer acceptance tests and shelf-life sensory monitoring.
Recruit, train, calibrate and manage internal sensory panels.
Monitor panelist performance and conduct periodic re-screening to maintain panel reliability.
Coordinate consumer sensory studies and competitor benchmarking evaluations with Marketing and Consumer Insights teams.
Analyse sensory data using appropriate statistical tools and software and prepare actionable reports for Product Development.
Maintain and improve sensory testing protocols, panel booth standards and sample preparation and serving procedures.
Product Development
Conduct product profiling, theoretical and real-time recipe development, product prototyping and other R&D bench work.
Develop new products that meet relevant local and international food regulatory standards.
Provide technical expertise for new product development and improvement of existing products.
Plan, execute and evaluate R&D projects while maintaining food safety and regulatory requirements.
Conduct and monitor real-time and accelerated shelf-life stability studies.
Carry out pilot-scale manufacturing plant trials for new product development and product optimisation.
Troubleshoot issues relating to bills of materials (BOM), plant trials, processes and ingredient changes to minimise the risk of plant shutdowns.
Supervision & Team Leadership
Supervise, coach and develop laboratory technicians and sensory panellists.
Allocate daily tasks and monitor workloads to meet project timelines.
Conduct performance reviews and identify training and development needs.
Build technical capabilities within the instrumentation and sensory team.
Enforce laboratory health, safety and environmental standards, good housekeeping and safe handling of samples, chemicals and equipment.
Act as a key escalation point for technical queries relating to instrumentation and sensory testing.
Quality, Compliance & Documentation
Ensure testing activities comply with company quality standards, food safety regulations and relevant standards, including NAFDAC, SON, ISO 17025, ISO 9001 and HACCP.
Maintain accurate, audit-ready test records, certificates of analysis, panel data, calibration records and deviation reports.
Support internal and external audits and regulatory inspections.
Participate in root-cause investigations relating to product quality complaints and non-conformances requiring instrumental or sensory analysis.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Reporting
Provide instrumental and sensory data to support product development, reformulation, cost optimisation and shelf-life extension projects.
Collaborate with Product Development, Quality Assurance, Production, Procurement and Marketing teams.
Prepare weekly and monthly reports on laboratory performance, sensory panel activities and key findings for the R&D Manager.
Keep abreast of developments in analytical instrumentation and sensory science methodologies and recommend relevant upgrades and techniques.
Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree or HND in Food Science & Technology, Chemistry, Biochemistry or a related scientific discipline.
A postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
Professional certification in sensory science, laboratory quality management such as ISO/IEC 17025, or instrumentation is an added advantage.
3–5 years’ relevant experience in a food, beverage or FMCG manufacturing laboratory.
Hands-on experience with analytical instrumentation and sensory evaluation.
Previous experience supervising or coordinating a small technical team, or demonstrable readiness for a first supervisory role.
Practical experience managing sensory panels and recognised sensory testing methodologies, including QDA, triangle/duo-trio tests and hedonic scaling.
Working knowledge of food safety and quality systems, including GMP, HACCP and ISO standards.
Strong analytical, problem-solving and reporting skills.
Good communication and teamwork abilities.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the application link below:
