NPD Technologist

Zest; Chilton Polden; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Zest is recruiting a Development Technologist to join the NPD team of a UK food manufacturer.

Reporting to the NPD Manager, you will lead the concept and recipe development stage for new and existing products, working directly with customers to understand the brief in detail, building strong relationships through meetings and sample reviews and making sure what you develop is something the factory can deliver.

Qualifications

• Food-related qualification or degree.
• At least three years in a food manufacturing environment with a proven concept-to-launch track record.
• Strong kitchen skills and understanding of functional ingredients.
• Commercial awareness and good project management.
• HACCP Level 2 or 3; knowledge of legal labelling is advantageous.
• Strong Excel skills and attention to detail.
• Flexible for customer visits and meetings; able to cover for NPD colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain new product files and project information.
• Develop recipes meeting customer codes of practice on raw materials and nutritional targets including HFSS rules.
• Hands-on support from bench to pilot and main plant for concept development.
• Manage kitchen equipment, ingredients and stock for samples and trials.
• Collaborate with Process Technologist, QA, Supply Chain to keep critical paths on track.
• Contribute to product quality, batch traceability and investigation of formulation issues.

Skills

Food science

NPD development

Project management

Excel skills

Education

Food-related qualification or degree

HACCP Level 2/3

Tools

Excel

Job description

Development Technologist

Every successful launch starts with a brief and someone who can turn it into a recipe that works. This is a role for a technologist who enjoys being there at the very beginning: sitting down with the customer, understanding what they are really asking for and taking it from the first idea through to a product that runs on the factory floor.

Zest is recruiting a Development Technologist to join the NPD team at a UK food manufacturer. Reporting to the NPD Manager, you will lead the concept and recipe development stage for new and existing products, working directly with customers to understand the brief in detail, building strong relationships through meetings and sample reviews and making sure what you develop is something the factory can deliver.

Day to day, you will create and maintain new product files and project information, develop recipes that meet customer codes of practice on raw material selection and sourcing and keep them within nutritional targets, including HFSS regulations and vitamin claims. You will be hands on, supporting concept development through bench, pilot and main plant activity and managing the kitchen equipment, ingredients and stock needed to prepare samples for customer submission. You will work closely with the Process Technologist to hand over everything needed for trials and launches, share joint responsibility for product quality, recipe and blend control, batch traceability and yields on first productions and help investigate customer complaints where formulation may be the cause. You will also work with Technical, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain and Artwork colleagues to keep information up to date and critical paths on track, and play your part in supporting health and safety across the business.

You will bring a food-related qualification or degree, ideally in Chemistry and at least three years in a food manufacturing environment with a proven concept to launch track record. You will have strong kitchen skills, an understanding of functional ingredients, commercial awareness and good project management skills, along with HACCP Level 2 or 3 and knowledge of legal labelling would be an advantage. You will be confident prioritising a busy workload against tight deadlines, with good attention to detail, strong Excel skills and a logical, methodical, proactive approach. You will communicate well with colleagues, customers and suppliers at every level, work equally well alone and as part of a team and be flexible enough to attend customer visits and meetings and provide cover for NPD colleagues when needed.

The role is full time and permanent and candidates are required to have