Kerry Internship Programme 2027 - Research, Development & Application (RDA)

Kerry Group; Rowberrow; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

The Kerry Group in Portbury, UK is offering a Research, Development & Application Internship starting May/June 2027 for 9–12 months. This on-site, full-time placement gives hands-on experience in our laboratories, supporting product development and scale-up projects that contribute to sustainable nutrition.

You'll work within an RD&A team, gain practical skills across bench- and pilot-scale trials, document results, and learn to apply scientific principles to enhance taste, nutrition and

Qualifications

• Studying Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, Biotechnology, Nutrition, Microbiology, Bioscience, Bakery Technology or related science degree (21 degree classification).
• Curious about how a global business works and eager to learn from others.
• Comfortable taking ownership while knowing when to ask for support.
• Willingness to explore AI and new technologies to work smarter.
• Clear communication with the team and strong prioritisation.

Responsibilities

• Supporting development of new products and improvements through bench- and pilot-scale trials.
• Applying scientific principles to enhance taste, nutrition and functionality.
• Documenting experimental outcomes to support scale-up and manufacturing transfer.
• Assisting with ingredient and formulation tracking to keep trials consistent.
• Maintaining retained samples and checking raw materials against shelf-life.
• Keeping the RD&A lab and equipment organised and ready for project work.
• Recording work and time activity using Salesforce RD&A Tracker.
• Participating in team meetings, training and development to build technical expertise.
• Following Health & Safety protocols in labs, pilot plants and operational areas.

Skills

Curious

Organised

Ownership

Communication

Microsoft Office

Copilot

Education

Food Science / related science degree (21 degree classification)

Tools

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Outlook

Teams

Copilot

Job description

Key Internship Details

• Where Portbury, UK
• Start date May/June 2027
• Duration 9-12 Months
• Working model Full-time, on-site

Grow Your Future at Kerry

At Kerry, our purpose - Inspiring Food, Nourishing Life - comes to life through science, innovation and sustainable nutrition. From food and beverage to pharma, our teams use insight, technology and science-backed solutions to help solve real-world challenges for people, society and the planet. Our impact reaches billions, but it starts with curious people, fresh ideas and teams who care about making a difference. If you're looking for a place to learn, contribute and build real experience with purpose, Kerry could be the place for you.

Our Internship Programme Your First Step into Kerry

Our internships give you a real introduction to Kerry - our people, our work and the impact we're creating through sustainable nutrition. With opportunities across Ireland, the UK and Mainland Europe, you'll have time to learn, contribute and get a feel for where your career could go next. Demonstrate your potential during your internship and your application for our Graduate Programme will be fast-tracked.

What You'll Work On

As a Research, Development & Application Intern based in Portbury, you'll join one of our RD&A teams and gain practical, hands-on experience in our laboratories. Depending on the team you join, your responsibilities may vary, but you'll support innovation and application projects that contribute to Kerry's mission of delivering sustainable nutrition.

• Supporting the development of new products and the improvement of existing ones through bench-scale and pilot-scale trials.
• Applying scientific principles to help enhance product taste, nutrition and functionality.
• Documenting experimental outcomes to support scale-up and product transfer to manufacturing.
• Assisting with ingredient and formulation tracking to keep trials consistent and ready to progress.
• Maintaining retained samples and checking raw materials are within shelf-life.
• Keeping the RD&A lab and equipment organised, operational and ready for project work.
• Recording work and time activity using tools such as Salesforce RD&A Tracker.
• Taking part in team meetings, training and development activities that help build your technical expertise.
• Following Health & Safety protocols in labs, pilot plants and operational areas.

What We're Looking For

You don't need to have it all figured out. For this internship, we're looking for someone who is curious, organised and ready to get involved.

• Studying Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, Biotechnology, Nutrition, Microbiology, Bioscience, Bakery Technology or a related science degree, and on track for a 21 degree classification.
• Curious about how a global business works, and open to learning from the people around you.
• Comfortable taking ownership of your work, while knowing when to ask questions or reach out for support.
• Eager to explore AI and new technologies, and keen to use them to work smarter, solve real challenges and make a meaningful impact.
• Confident using Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Teams, and Copilot.
• Clear in how you communicate, whether you're working with your team, sharing updates or managing priorities.

What's in It for You

• Annual salary £ 26,227.50, pro-rated based on the duration of the internship.
• See the bigger picture real experience that helps you understand Kerry, our work in sustainable nutrition and how our people bring our purpose to life.
• Build your network opportunities to connect with other interns, graduates and colleagues across Kerry.
• Share your impact work on a project during your internship and present your contribution at the end of the programme.
• Keep growing make a strong impact during your internship, and your application for our Graduate Programme will be fast-tracked.

*Please note Applicants must have the right to work Full time in the Country they are applying for.