Nordic Naturals is seeking a visionary and experienced research leader to build and head our new national center for lipid research. The location of the hub in Norway is flexible and will be tailored to the right candidate. In this newly created executive role, you will drive the development of sustainable marine ingredients, build strategic ties with leading Norwegian research environments, and build your own dedicated R&D team from the ground up. The working language is English, and you will report directly to the VP in the US.
About Nordic Naturals At Nordic Naturals, we are committed to delivering the world's safest, most effective nutrients essential to health. We are now expanding our global footprint by establishing an exclusive lipid research hub in Norway, and we are looking for a highly capable scientific leader to drive this strategic initiative.
About the role
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The Director of Lipid R&D is a high-impact, commercially driven leadership role responsible for establishing Nordic Naturals' exclusive lipid research hub in Norway. Beyond scientific discovery, you will bring a strong business mindset to lead the identification, development, and commercialization of proprietary marine and lipid-based ingredients that justify our premium positioning and "Why Nordic" story.
Managing projects through an innovation stage-gate process, you will act as the primary bridge between the Norwegian marine research ecosystem and our US commercial teams. Your goal is to convert technical innovation into market-ready solutions across our Heart, Cognitive, Prenatal, and Healthy Aging product categories.
In this role, you will also collaborate with our oil manufacturing team in Tromsø and have the unique mandate to recruit and build your own dedicated R&D team from the ground up
Location flexibility: Because this role interacts closely with research environments across the country, the physical location of the lab/hub is flexible within Norway and will be tailored to the ideal candidate.
What we offer & why join us
- Sign-on bonus: An attractive initial sign-on compensation package
- Build your own legacy: The unique mandate to establish our new exclusive lipid research hub in Norway. You will recruit, build, and manage your own scientific and R&D team from the ground up.
- Location choice: High geographic flexibility regarding where in Norway you choose to reside and set up the hub.
- Global executive reach: Direct reporting line to US executive leadership (VP of Product, Quality, Regulatory, and PM) and high influence on our global product pipeline.
- Cutting-edge focus: Drive high-value IP creation through proprietary marine concentrates, algal-based ingredients, and micro-encapsulation.
- Competitive package: Senior-level salary, executive pension scheme, comprehensive health insurance, and relocation assistance if moving from abroad.
Key responsibilities
- Develop and execute the long-term strategy for exclusive lipid ingredient development, focusing on proprietary marine-based concentrates, algal-based ingredients, and microbial oils.
- Build and maintain high-level strategic relationships with key Norwegian research institutes and universities, such as NOFIMA, SINTEF, and the University of Bergen.
- Lead the development of novel lipid processing technologies (e.g., supercritical extraction, micro-encapsulation) with the goal of generating patentable intellectual property.
- Identify and secure Norwegian research grants and public-private funding opportunities to offset R&D costs and leverage local marine expertise.
- Recruit, mentor, and manage a high-performing research and development team in Norway, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and scientific rigor.
- Oversee laboratory and pilot plant operations to de-risk the transition from bench-top discovery to industrial-scale production.
- Partner closely with US-based Marketing, Research, and Product Development teams to ensure exclusive ingredients meet consumer needs and are transferred effectively for desired health claims.
Qualifications & requirements
- Education: Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Marine Biotechnology, or a related field focusing on lipid/marine ingredient development.
- Experience: 10+ years of experience in lipid or marine research and development, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role within the nutrition, pharma, or specialty chemical industries.
- Technical & commercial track record: Proven capability to manage a project pipeline through an innovation stage-gate process to ensure commercial accountability.
- Data & ROI analytics: Must be proficient with MS Office and have excellent Excel skills for data analysis and ROI modeling.
Our culture & leadership style
While we operate at the cutting edge of marine science, our culture is remarkably down-to-earth. We are proud of our unpretentious, informal, and highly collaborative environment. At Nordic Naturals, we believe in collaboration with each other, and we expect our leaders to be approachable, kind, and genuinely invested in the success of their colleagues.
You will thrive here if you are a team player who naturally fosters a positive team environment and supports the professional growth of your team. We are looking for a leader who tackles challenges with a positive attitude and who can communicate complex scientific data in a clear, relatable way to non-technical US stakeholders and executive leadership.
