Research Collaborations Expert (Part-time, Equity only)

Research Collaborations Expert — KefiloAbout Kefilo

Kefilo is building a NutritionTech and personalised wellness transformation ecosystem focused on functional nutrition, preventive wellness, gut health, fitness and lifestyle redesign.

Our R&D focus combines nutrition science, food science, technology, data and intelligent food manufacturing to build the Nutrition Intelligence Engine and a new generation of personalised nutrition products and systems.

Role

Research Collaborations Expert — Equity-Based Founding Role

Key Responsibilities

• Research Network Development Build and manage a strong network of universities, research institutions, food laboratories, scientists, nutrition researchers, food technologists and industry experts.
• Research Partnerships Identify and establish strategic research collaborations relevant to Kefilo's NutritionTech, food R&D and wellness technology objectives.
• University & Institution Collaborations Develop relationships with universities, academic departments, research centres and innovation institutions for joint research, student projects, testing and technology development.
• Food & Nutrition Research Identify research opportunities in functional nutrition, gut health, ingredients, food formulations, processing, personalised nutrition and preventive wellness.
• R&D Project Development Convert research opportunities into structured projects with clear objectives, methodologies, deliverables, timelines and potential commercial outcomes.
• Laboratory & Testing Collaborations Connect Kefilo with appropriate laboratories and testing facilities for nutritional analysis, microbiological testing, shelf-life studies, formulation validation and other R&D requirements.
• Sponsored & Joint Research Explore sponsored research, collaborative research, pilot studies, technology development, contract research and industry-academic projects.
• Technology & Innovation Scouting Identify emerging food technologies, ingredients, processing methods, nutrition technologies and research breakthroughs relevant to Kefilo.
• Grant & Research Opportunities Identify relevant government schemes, research programs, innovation initiatives, grants, incubation programs and institutional opportunities supporting food and nutrition R&D.
• Technology Transfer & Commercialisation Explore opportunities to acquire, license, co-develop or commercialise research outcomes, technologies, formulations and intellectual property.
• Research Validation Coordinate scientific validation and independent testing of Kefilo's products, formulations, processes and Nutrition Intelligence frameworks.
• Research Database Build and maintain a structured database of researchers, laboratories, universities, research projects, technologies, institutions and collaboration opportunities.
• Cross-Functional R&D Support Work closely with Food Scientists, Food Processing Experts, Nutrition Experts, Data Scientists and Product Owners to identify and execute research requirements.
• Intellectual Property & Publications Identify opportunities for patents, proprietary technologies, research publications, technical reports and other forms of knowledge and IP creation.
• Long-Term R&D Ecosystem Help Kefilo build a sustainable research ecosystem that continuously feeds new science, technology, products and intellectual property into the company.
  
  

Ideal Candidate

• Experience in research collaborations, academic partnerships, industry R&D or innovation ecosystems
• Strong network across universities, research institutions, laboratories or food/nutrition organisations
• Background in Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Research Management or a related field is preferred
• Experience developing industry-academic collaborations
• Understanding of research projects, laboratory testing and scientific validation
• Familiarity with government research schemes, grants, innovation programs or technology-transfer ecosystems is an advantage
• Strong communication, networking and relationship-building skills
• Ability to identify opportunities and convert them into tangible collaborations
• Strong ownership and entrepreneurial mindset
• Comfortable working in an early-stage startup environment
  
  

Engagement

• Equity-only founding role
• No fixed salary at the current stage
• Approximately 20–25 hours per week
• Remote / hybrid
• Equity based on contribution, responsibility and long-term commitment
• 5-year vesting structure for core founding members
• Fixed compensation to be introduced after fundraising and revenue stabilisation
  
  

Key Outcome

Build Kefilo's external research ecosystem by connecting the company with the right researchers, universities, laboratories, technologies and innovation institutions — and converting those relationships into tangible R&D projects, scientific validation, intellectual property and commercially relevant innovation.

Skills: innovation,research,projects,universities,technology