Responsable de recherche

Head of R&D – Laboratory & Industrial Scale-Up (M/F/X)

Sector: Nutraceuticals | Pharmaceutical formulation | R&D

What if you could take an innovation from the laboratory all the way to industrial production?

You've spent years developing formulations, solving scientific challenges and improving processes.

But now, you're looking for more than managing R&D projects.

You want to shape scientific strategy, build a high-performing team and see your innovations become industrial reality.

Imagine taking the lead of an R&D laboratory whose formulation technologies are moving from proof of concept to industrial production.

A laboratory where your scientific decisions matter, where you work directly with the CEO, and where your expertise helps turn innovative formulations into high-performance ingredients used in the health and wellness industry.

This could be your next challenge.

The opportunity

Our client is an innovative Belgian R&D company specializing in improving the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of poorly soluble natural ingredients for human and animal health.

Its proprietary formulation technologies transform poorly soluble active ingredients into high-performance, cold-water dispersible or soluble powders.

With a dedicated production area being established in India, the company is entering an important phase of industrial development.

We're looking for a Head of R&D to become the CEO's scientific and operational right hand.

You’ll take ownership of two closely connected areas:

• R&D laboratory leadership: managing the team, scientific projects, partnerships, regulatory activities, funding and investments.
• Industrial scale-up: transferring laboratory processes into production, working closely with the company's production team in India.

This is not a position for someone who wants to manage exclusively from behind a desk.

You’ll combine strategic thinking with hands‑on scientific leadership, staying close to your team, the laboratory and the processes.

The challenges you’ll take on

1. Lead a laboratory and build your team

You'll take responsibility for the laboratory's scientific and operational performance.

• Lead and develop an existing team of 3 people, with further growth planned.
• Recruit, onboard, coach and develop new team members.
• Set objectives, conduct performance reviews and identify development needs.
• Organize laboratory activities and prioritize internal projects alongside customer requests.
• Ensure reliable, reproducible and traceable laboratory work through appropriate protocols, documentation and quality practices.
• Oversee analytical characterization and control methods.
• Strengthen the team's autonomy and foster a collaborative working environment.

2. Turn laboratory processes into industrial reality

One of your most important challenges will be to bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and industrial manufacturing.

• Lead the transfer and implementation of processes jointly with the production team in India.
• Translate laboratory parameters into industrial operating conditions, including CPPs, CQAs and operating ranges.
• Coordinate pilot trials and demonstration batches with the production team.
• Prepare technology transfer dossiers and associated process documentation.
• Act as the scientific and technical counterpart of the production team and external CDMOs.
• Troubleshoot process challenges and support the resolution of major deviations.
• Design and supervise stability studies.

Most collaboration with India will take place remotely. Occasional travel will be required for key milestones such as demonstration batches, production start‑up or significant technical issues.

3. Shape the R&D strategy

• Define the R&D strategy and roadmap together with General Management.
• Prioritize internal development programs and market‑driven opportunities.
• Assess the feasibility and potential of new scientific approaches.
• Monitor scientific, technological and competitive developments.
• Contribute to protecting intellectual property, including patents and know‑how.

4. Develop partnerships and secure R&D funding

• Identify relevant regional, Belgian and European public research funding opportunities.
• Prepare grant applications with management and external partners.
• Coordinate scientific and financial reporting, audits and funding reviews.
• Select and manage academic laboratories, CROs, analytical laboratories and preclinical or clinical study providers.
• Define specificatio