WHO WE ARE:
At The Cocoa Project, our mission is to cultivate a chocolate culture in Vietnam. We aspire to establish a space where we can weave and share captivating narratives surrounding chocolate. Our brand offers a diverse array of chocolate products in a unique F&B Store and manufacturing business, where innovation, disruption, and creativity form the core elements driving our company's growth under a genuinely sustainable business model.
WHAT YOU WILL GET:
We are seeking an experienced R&D Manager specializing in chocolate applications to lead the development of innovative products for B2B industrial customers and B2C retail. This role combines technical expertise, scientific understanding, and hands-on formulation skills to support product innovation, customer projects, and production scale-up.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Product Development & Innovation
• Develop new chocolate products or adapt existing formulations following company strategy and customer needs.
• Conduct application tests (molding, enrobing, panning, tempering, inclusions, fillings) under defined procedures to ensure accuracy and reproducibility.
• Prepare technical documentation: raw materials, formulation sheets, production instructions, shelf-life and storage notes, sensory results, cost structure, and product standards.
• Provide technical guidance on chocolate properties such as crystallization, viscosity, fat migration, water activity, and shelf-life.
• Investigate and resolve issues related to raw materials, prototypes, and scale-up processes; proactively explore new ingredients and technologies.
• Identify cost-optimization opportunities through ingredients, formulation, or process improvements.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards and maintain confidentiality.
• Track market and regional product trends and translate insights into new product opportunities.
2. Customer Support &
Business Development• Deliver technical presentations, demonstrations, and seminars showcasing product capabilities and solutions.
• Support customers through product training, application guidance, and sample preparation.
• Participate in customer events with Sales and Marketing teams.
• Identify new business opportunities for chocolate applications and contribute to key account planning and technical discussions.
3. Internal Collaboration & Continuous Improvement
• Work with the factory and processing teams on pilot trials, industrial scale-up, and recipe transfer to ensure consistent production outcomes.
• Provide internal training for Sales/Marketing to build technical knowledge about chocolate science and applications.
• Stay updated on new technologies, equipment, and industry trends and share insights with internal teams.
• Ensure proper maintenance and efficient operation of R&D lab equipment.
• Build and maintain a professional network with chocolate schools, machinery suppliers, and industry partners.
