Beverage R&D Lead (Product Development) — Joud Coffee

Role SummaryOwn the end-to-end beverage innovation pipeline (hot & iced coffee, matcha/tea, non-coffee refreshers, seasonal LTOs). You’ll run discovery, formulate & test, cost & scale, and launch with operationsWhat You’ll DoVoice of Customer & Trends: Run feedback loops (tastings, barista input, social listening, quick surveys) and scan global trends to feed the roadmap.Concept → Formula: Create briefs, set success criteria, develop recipes (iced/hot coffee and non-coffee beverages). Build spec sheets with grams/ml, °C, yields, allergens.Design-to-Cost: Hit target COGS and margin guardrails; engineer substitutes and prep methods without compromising taste.Scale & Process: Define CPU → café flows (batching, shelf-life, HACCP), packaging/dispensing choices, and bar workflow to hit ≤90-sec build times.Testing & QA: Plan pilots and A/Bs, run sensory panels, set QC standards (brix/TDS windows, temperature, foam density), and own version control.Menu & Analytics: Partner with Marketing to prioritize the roadmap Enablement: Create SOPs, training decks, and barista certifications; support launches with in-store trials and playbooks.Sourcing: Work with Procurement on coffee, tea, dairy/alt-dairy, flavor houses, and packaging; evaluate vendors via blind tastings and total-cost analysis.Cross-functional leadership: Coordinate with Ops, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Finance to deliver on time, on cost, and on quality.What You’ll Bring5+ years in beverage R&D for specialty coffee/QSR or CPG beverages, with launches at multi-unit scale.Mixology background preferred (premium café/bar or zero-proof program): mastery of dilution & ice, shaking/stirring, foam technique, carbonation/nitro, layered builds, and garnish design.Strong grasp of espresso fundamentals, extraction/TDS, dairy & alt-milk behavior, emulsions, purées/syrups, cold foam, and blended formats.Proven costing, spec writing, shelf-life testing, and HACCP familiarity.Comfortable with spreadsheets; experience with POS data (e.g., Foodics) is a plus.Builder’s mindset: rapid prototyping, structured testing, excellent documentation.Collaborative, hands-on, and aligned with our values: Courage, Empathy, Customer Centricity, Passion, Resilience, Ownership, Innovation.English required; Arabic a plus.