DIRECTOR OF QUALITY AND R&D 
 

Position Summary:

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead development of short- and long-term business plans aligned with company strategy.
• Define and execute strategic goals to enhance customer and supplier collaboration and evolve quality support programs.
• Develop and communicate long-term laboratory strategy to address future trends in technology, regulation, consumer expectations, ingredient sourcing, and portfolio evolution.
• Build organizational capabilities by identifying and addressing infrastructure and talent gaps.
• Champion standardized problem-solving methodologies across laboratories.
• Oversee daily operations of R&D and Quality labs focused on ingredient analysis and innovation as well as act as the liaison for the global teams. 
• Lead method development, validation, and implementation for food safety, functionality, and stability testing (e.g., proximate, moisture, pH, viscosity, microbial).
• Ensure compliance with global food safety standards (FDA, USDA, FSMA, SQF, GFSI, ISO 22000).
• Drive cross-functional collaboration for product development, process improvements, and scale-ups; coordinate with global teams.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions for quality issues and customer complaints.
• Manage and mentor scientists, technologists, and technicians to promote innovation, compliance, and professional growth.
• Maintain robust lab quality systems (SOPs, documentation, calibration, audits).
• Stay informed on scientific and regulatory changes to ensure lab practices remain compliant and competitive.
• Guide technical documentation for customer specs, certifications, and regulatory submissions.
• Manage and lead customer driven and third-party certification audits (GMO’s, HACCP, GFSI)
• Oversee capital planning for lab equipment, upgrades, and staffing.
• Ensure data integrity and best practices in digital systems (e.g., LIMS, ELN).
• Serve as technical lead for key customers, external technical forums, and interprofessional industry organizations
• Travel up to 20%.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Experience:

• 10+ years in the food ingredient industry with progressive responsibilities.
• 5+ years in a leadership role in regulated manufacturing environments.
• Strong technical credibility and ability to engage technical stakeholders.
• Expertise in analytical chemistry techniques (e.g., GC, GC/MS, MS).
• Experience with budgeting, procurement, cost control, and LIMS systems.
• Familiarity with food labeling, claims, and international regulations.

Skills & Competencies:

• Proven leadership and team development abilities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Effective problem-solving and decision-making.
• Business acumen in operations, team performance, and process improvement.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Deep knowledge of analytical food testing methods (e.g., Kjeldahl, HPLC/MS, GC/MS, NIR, Spectroscopy, microbiology).
• Solid understanding of global food safety standards and third-party certification programs.
• Strong technical writing and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience with Six Sigma, Lean, or other continuous improvement methodologies is a plus

Benefits of Working with Sethness Roquette:

• Competitive Wage
• Opportunity for growth
• Medical/Dental/Vision
• 401k & Company Pension
• Paid Time Off, including 12 paid holidays
• Wellness Incentive
• Company paid life insurance