Research & Innovation Coordinator

Established in 1987, Macro Group Australia is a fast-growing innovative company and controls the world's largest retail distribution of kangaroo meat as the exclusive supplier of fresh kangaroo meat to all major supermarket chains in Australia. It is also a large exporter of wild game meats to many countries worldwide. The company currently employs 200 staff at their two processing facilities in Adelaide.

The Role

Reporting to the CEO, the Research & Innovation Coordinator will be responsible for working collaboratively with all staff and stakeholders to successfully oversee all aspects of the R&D program. Specifically, it will be your responsibility to design, implement and manage the company’s knowledge management system to optimise the planning and execution of R&D activities and proposed innovations within the business.

You will bring innovative and novel ideas to life, that not only generate value added outcomes for the company but establish new Industry accepted sustainable and ethical practices to satisfy the ever-growing concerns and expectations of an animal welfare conscious market. 

Specific tasks will include the following:

• Determining, implementing, and monitoring R&D strategies, policies, and plans.
• Design, development, and management of the businesses knowledge management system.
• Developing and implementing research projects, priorities, and targets to support commercial and policy developments.
• Leading major research projects and coordinating activities of other research groups where necessary (e.g. AgriFutures, CSIRO, universities). 
• Assessing the benefits and monitoring the costs and effectiveness of R&D activities.
• Interpreting results of research projects and recommending associated product and service development innovations.
• Providing advice on R&D options available to the organisation.
• Monitoring leading-edge developments in relevant disciplines and assessing implications for the organisation.
• Develop study reports and conduct regular meetings to present the significant outcomes of core research projects, and to identify and discuss areas of strength, weakness, and opportunity. 

Selection criteria for successful candidates:

• A post-graduate qualification (MSc or PhD) in a science field (e.g. Food Science, Meat Science, Animal Science, Bioprocess/Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology) or equivalent experience in the industry.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to translate complicated technical concepts into plain English.
• Well-developed analytical, report writing and research skills.
• Experience working in a food/meat product and process development, ingredient functionality and product commercialisation (desirable but not essential).