Development Technologist

Premier Foods; Barnsley; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to 7.5% pension and life assurance

Sharesave scheme

Extensive learning and development

Employee discount scheme

Job summary

Premier Foods in the United Kingdom is seeking a hands-on R&D Technologist to drive innovation in our Sweet Treats portfolio. You will take ideas from concept through to launch, working across teams to develop market-leading products that meet quality, cost and operational requirements.

Ideally you hold a degree in Food Science or related field and have experience in food manufacturing or FMCG, with bakery exposure preferred. The role offers room to grow within a supportive, inclusive culture.

Qualifications

• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Product Development or Nutrition.
• Experience in a food manufacturing or FMCG environment.
• Bakery experience is advantageous.
• Understanding of food ingredients, processing technologies and development processes.
• Knowledge of food safety systems, HACCP and legislation.
• Experience conducting product trials and supporting scale‑up activities.

Responsibilities

• Developing new products aligned with category innovation and growth strategies.
• Managing multiple development projects from concept through to launch.
• Reformulating existing products to improve quality, nutrition, sustainability and performance.
• Creating formulations, recipes, specifications and technical documentation.
• Conducting kitchen bench work, factory trials and product evaluations.
• Assessing ingredient functionality and processing requirements.
• Ensuring projects are delivered on time and within objectives.
• Supporting the delivery of innovation pipeline initiatives.

Skills

Food Science

Food Technology

Product Development

Nutrition

FMCG

Bakery experience

Education

Degree in Food Science/ Technology/ Nutrition

Job description

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Join Premier Foods — where people, brands and purpose come together.

Create the Next Big Thing in Sweet Treats

What if your job was inventing the next Mr Kipling icon, giving Cadbury Mini Rolls a modern twist, or helping shape the future of Own Label products? That's exactly what our R&D team does every day.

At Premier Foods, we're home to some of Britain's most loved food brands. Our Sweet Treats category delights millions of consumers every week, and we're looking for a passionate, creative and hands‑on R&D Technologist to help bring exciting new products to life. Working at the heart of innovation, you'll take ideas from concept through to launch, helping us create products that consumers can't wait to buy.

What you'll be doing?

As an R&D Technologist, you'll play a key role in delivering innovation, renovation and growth projects across our Sweet Treats portfolio. You'll work collaboratively with colleagues across the business to develop market‑leading products that delight consumers while meeting quality, cost and operational requirements.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing new products aligned with category innovation and growth strategies.
• Managing multiple development projects from concept through to commercial launch.
• Reformulating existing products to improve quality, nutrition, sustainability and performance.
• Creating formulations, recipes, specifications and technical documentation.
• Conducting kitchen bench work, factory trials and product evaluations.
• Assessing ingredient functionality and processing requirements.
• Ensuring projects are delivered on time and within agreed objectives.
• Supporting the delivery of exciting innovation pipeline initiatives.

What we are looking for?

We're looking for someone who is naturally curious, passionate about food, and eager to develop their career within FMCG product development.

Ideally, you'll have:

• A degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Product Development, Nutrition or a related discipline.
• Experience within a food manufacturing or FMCG environment.
• Bakery experience, which would be particularly advantageous.
• An understanding of food ingredients, processing technologies and product development processes.
• Knowledge of food safety systems, HACCP and food legislation.
• Experience conducting product trials and supporting commercial scale‑up activities.
• Strong organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• A proactive approach with the confidence to manage multiple projects and priorities.

What we offer you in return?

• Up to 7.5% pensionand life assurance
• Sharesave scheme and the option to purchase additional holiday
• Extensive learning and development opportunities
• Access to a wide employee discount scheme

At Premier foods we believe in inclusion, authenticity and individuality. We aim to ensure all existing and future colleagues are given equitable opportunities and are respected, valued and encouraged to bring their true authentic selves to work no matter who they are, what they look like, who they love or what they believe in. Our culture is one where everyone is welcome.

We're proud to be a Disability Smart employer and are committed to supporting disability inclusion throughout our recruitment process. If you experience any access issues or require reasonable adjustments at any stage, please let us know so we can ensure you have the support you need.