Associate Director - Design Quality

Role Overview Licious is India's most successful D2C food-tech brand headquartered in Bengaluru, specialising in fresh meat and seafood. Founded in 2015, the company operates across 20 cities and serves over 32 lakh delighted customers. We are looking for a seasoned Associate Director of Design Quality to lead quality standards across our processed, cooked, RTC and RTE product lines. Key Responsibilities - Own end-to-end Design Quality for processed, cooked, RTC and RTE products covering NPD and scale-up stages - Collaborate closely with Innovation and R&D teams on formulations, process flows, packaging design and shelf-life validation - Lead technical audits including internal, supplier and contract manufacturing audits and drive strong audit readiness - Embed design controls, HACCP, FMEA and process validation into product and facility design frameworks - Ensure full compliance with FSSAI, ISO/FSSC 22000, BRC, GMP and GFSI standards - Provide quality leadership during plant, central kitchen and process design covering retort, blast freezing, HPP and cold chain operations - Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies and mentor high-performing quality teams - Lead automation and technology projects within the Quality domain Required Qualifications - 12 to 18 or more years of experience in Design Quality, QHSE or Technical Audit within Food Processing, FMCG or Cooked Products - Strong hands-on experience with processed and cooked food categories - Proven ability to collaborate with Innovation and R&D teams during NPD and commercialisation - Deep expertise in technical audits, compliance and regulatory frameworks - Prior experience with reputed food or FMCG organisations - Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Technology, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Dairy Science, Food Science or a related discipline Why Join Us At Licious, you will be at the heart of a fast-growing food-tech revolution that is redefining how India experiences meat and seafood. This is a rare opportunity to shape design quality at scale and make a meaningful impact on product excellence and food safety.

- 12 to 18 or more years in Design Quality, QHSE or Technical Audit roles - Experience in Food Processing, FMCG or Cooked Products industry - Expertise in HACCP, FMEA and process validation - Knowledge of FSSAI, ISO/FSSC 22000, BRC, GMP and GFSI standards - Hands-on experience with NPD and commercialisation processes - Familiarity with retort, blast freezing, HPP and cold chain operations - Proficiency in Lean and Six Sigma methodologies - Degree in Food Technology, Microbiology, Biotechnology or related field

- Opportunity to work with India's leading D2C food-tech brand - Exposure to large-scale food processing and innovation projects - Collaborative work culture with cross-functional teams - Career growth in a rapidly expanding organisation