Customer R&D Specialist

Barry Callebaut; Banbury; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Barry Callebaut in the United Kingdom seeks a senior R&D professional to lead technical product development, driving best-in-class chocolate solutions and sharing deep product expertise across the organization. You will provide technical guidance on product selection, applications, and chocolate handling optimization to improve manufacturing efficiency.

This role involves on-site customer support, training sessions, and troubleshooting to ensure exceptional product performance and continuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science or a similar field.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in the food industry.
• Experience in project management.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Proven track record in continuous improvement management.
• Experience in product development with strong application knowledge.
• Experience in sales or client interaction.
• Good knowledge of MS Office, Salesforce, SAP.

Responsibilities

• Define recipe requirements based on customer specs and collaborate with internal colleagues.
• Communicate and align with customer and stakeholders on project content and status.
• On-site presence to support new product implementation and advise on customer business development.
• Maintain and develop customer relations to sustain communication and insights.
• Overview of customer capabilities, product portfolio, and future launches.
• Perform application tests with the lab for new chocolate, compounds, and fillings.

Skills

Outstanding presentation skills

Continuous improvement management

Product development experience

Sales or client interaction experience

Fluent Business English

Willingness to travel within UK

Education

Bachelor’s / Master’s Degree in Food Science or similar field

Tools

MS Office

Salesforce

SAP

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a key member of the R&D team, you will lead technical product development, driving best-in-class product solutions and sharing deep product expertise across the organization. Acting as a trusted partner to customers, you will provide technical guidance on product selection, applications, and chocolate handling optimization to improve manufacturing efficiency. You will deliver technical support, troubleshoot issues at customer sites, and conduct training sessions on our products and applications. This role is integral to building strong customer partnerships and ensuring exceptional product performance and continuous improvement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Define Recipe Requirements Based on Customer Specs, Reference Material and in Collaboration with Internal Colleagues (Product Expert & Process Engineer).
• Communicate and Align with Customer and Stakeholders on Project Content and Status
• Be present on Customer’s site to work through any new product implementation as well as advising how to develop customers business.
• Maintain and develop customer relations to maintain communication and insights
• Main good overview of customers capabilities, product portfolio, future pipelines and launches.
• Perform Application Tests with the Application Lab with or without Customer, e.g. Trials on New Chocolate, Compounds and Fillings
• Provide on site Technical Advice to Customer on Application during Industrial Trials and to ensure a Smooth Transition to Industrial Scale up (Troubleshooting)
• Identify, Inform and Organise Project Members and Stakeholders, e.g. Establish a Team for Innovation or Large projects, Organize Project Team Meetings
• Ensure Compliance for New Products Through Regulations Knowledge
• Give Application Training to the Customer workforce and internal colleagues when required
• Assess Existing Technology & Equipment and Maintain Knowledge of State of the Art Technological Possibilities for All Kinds of Customer applications
• Log Trials and Results in System (SFDC or other)
• Promote new products to customers, through innovation days and customer visits
• Receive and translate customer briefs for a New or Existing Solution
• Balance Time and Resource Effort vs. Benefits of the Request, e.g. Discuss Feasibility, Assess risks, Ensure Compliance with Business Standards
• Collect Customer Feedback on Sample and Testing’s and Define Next Steps in Product Creation
• Along with QA make a GO/NO GO Decision to Production in Case of OOS and Report the OOS Specificities to Customer
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives re processes, technologies, and organisation
• Ownership and autonomy within the account

ABOUT YOU

• Bachelor’s / Master’s Degree in Food Science or similar field
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in the food industry
• Experience in Project Management
• Outstanding presentation skills
• Proven track record in continuous improvement management
• Experience in a product development, strong application knowledge
• Experience in Sales or client interaction
• Good knowledge of working tools (MS Office, Salesforce, SAP...)
• Fluent Business English
• Willingness to travel within the UK