Senior Product Development Technologist

McCormick & Company, Incorporated; Palmwoods; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedules

Health & Wellness

Community engagement

Parental leave

Employee recognition

Engagement events

Novated lease

Job summary

McCormick is seeking a Senior Product Development Technologist to join our Research & Development team in Palmwoods. You will lead development and commercialisation of new and existing products, translating briefs into manufacturable solutions and guiding two direct reports.

You’ll collaborate with Marketing, Operations, Quality, Regulatory and Commercial teams to deliver projects on time while staying ahead of flavour trends and ingredient innovations to delight customers.

Qualifications

• A tertiary qualification in Food Science, Food Technology or related discipline.
• Experience in FMCG product development or food manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of ingredients, formulations, and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and lead teams and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimise products from concept through to commercialisation.
• Conduct formulation work, product evaluations and factory trials.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Operations, Quality, Regulatory and Commercial teams.
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation and product specs.
• Support product launches and trials; plan and execute first production runs.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and cost optimisation.

Skills

Product development

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical leadership

Food science knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science/Technology

Job description

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• Full-time permanent role (Monday - Friday) based on the Sunshine Coast
• Benefit from generous employee recognition and reward programs
• Global organisation offering career and development opportunities

Ready to help shape the future of flavour? We're looking for a Senior Product Development Technologist to join our Research & Development team in Palmwoods. This role will see you play a key role in bringing exciting new products and improvements to market for some of Australia's most recognised brands.

Why Join McCormick?

At McCormick, we're passionate about flavour and innovation. As a global leader in herbs, spices, seasonings and flavour solutions, we're proud of the iconic brands that consumers know and trust. Our Palmwoods manufacturing site is home to a talented team dedicated to developing products that delight customers and consumers globally.

Joining McCormick means becoming part of a collaborative and inclusive culture where creativity, continuous improvement and professional development are encouraged. You'll have the opportunity to work with well-loved brands, partner with cross-functional teams and help bring innovative food solutions from concept to launch.

As a valued team member, you’ll enjoy a broad range of benefits, including:

• A supportive culture & work-life balance: enjoy a workplace that prioritizes your well-being, offering flexible schedules to ensure you can balance work and personal life seamlessly.
• Health & Wellness Initiatives: Access a variety of programs focused on your physical and mental well-being, including fitness challenges and wellness workshops.
• Community Engagement: Be part of a team that gives back! Participate in regional and local charity events and make a positive impact in our community.
• Family-Friendly Policies: Benefit from generous paid parental leave and partner pay entitlements, along with a supportive program to help you transition back to work as a new parent.
• Employee Recognition: Celebrate your achievements with our comprehensive recognition and rewards program, highlighting your contributions and hard work.
• Engagement Activities: Enjoy regular fun-filled events like food trucks, coffee vans, and BBQs to foster camaraderie and team spirit.
• Flexible Novated Lease Options: Take advantage of novated lease programs with SG Fleet and Toyota for a convenient way to manage your vehicle expenses.

About the Role

As a Senior Product Development Technologist, you will lead the development and commercialisation of new and existing products, translating project briefs into innovative and manufacturable solutions. Acting as a technical expert within the R&D team, you'll leverage your deep understanding of ingredients, formulations and manufacturing processes to deliver high-quality outcomes while collaborating with global colleagues and cross-functional stakeholders. You'll also provide leadership and guidance to two direct reports, helping to build capability, technical excellence and a high-performing team culture.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and optimising products from concept through to commercialisation, ensuring products meet consumer, customer and manufacturing requirements.
• Conducting formulation work, product evaluations and factory trials to support innovation, renovation and business continuity projects.
• Building strong partnerships with Marketing, Operations, Quality, Regulatory and Commercial teams to deliver projects on time and to brief.
• Leveraging strong technical knowledge of ingredients, recipes and manufacturing processes to solve product and process challenges.
• Preparing and maintaining technical documentation, specifications and related product information.
• Supporting product launches and commercialisation activities, including trial planning and first production runs.
• Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement, cost optimisation and process enhancement across products and systems.
• Staying abreast of emerging ingredients, flavour trends, technologies and market developments to support innovation pipelines.

About You

You are passionate about food innovation and enjoy transforming ideas into commercially successful products. Combining technical expertise with strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills, you thrive in a collaborative environment and are motivated by delivering products that delight consumers and customers alike. You will also bring demonstrated experience leading complex product development and commercialisation projects, along with the ability to coach, mentor and develop others. You will be comfortable providing technical leadership, influencing key stakeholders and driving strategic innovation initiatives across the business.

You will be able to demonstrate;

• A tertiary qualification in Food Science, Food Technology or a related discipline.
• Experience in product development within FMCG, food manufacturing or a related industry.
• Strong knowledge of ingredients, formulations, flavour systems and manufacturing processes.
• The ability to manage multiple projects and priorities while delivering results within agreed timeframes.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build effective relationships across Marketing, Operations, Quality, Commercial and external supplier networks.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical capabilities, with the confidence to make recommendations based on data and technical expertise.
• A proactive approach to continuous improvement, innovation and process optimisation.
• Experience supporting product trials, commercialisation activities and technical documentation.
• A passion for developing innovative food products and staying abreast of emerging consumer, ingredient and flavour trends.

McCormick is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. If you are a qualified applicant, you will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

WHY WORK AT MCCORMICK?

As a McCormick employee you’ll be empowered to focus on more than your individual responsibilities. You’ll have the opportunity to be part of something bigger than yourself—to have a say in where the company is going and how it’s growing.

Between our passion for flavor, our 130-year history of leadership and integrity, the competitive and comprehensive benefits we offer, and our culture, which is built on respect and opportunities for growth, there are many reasons to join us at McCormick.