Process Development Technologist

Technical Recruitment Solutions; Canterbury; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid birthday leave

Enhanced parental leave

Product discounts

Health insurance scheme

Free on-site parking

Job summary

Hellers is a well-established New Zealand food manufacturer seeking a hands-on professional to join the Operations & Improvement team. You will support trials from formulation through scale-up, while identifying process improvements on the factory floor.

You will work closely with product development, QA and engineering, spending significant time on site to monitor equipment, run trials and use data to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in FMCG or food manufacturing.
• Degree in Food Science, Biology, Process Engineering or related field.
• Meat processing experience advantageous.
• Strong analytical skills and confidence using Excel and process data.
• Hands-on approach to trials and problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Support product development, reformulation and scale-up trials from bench-top through to production.
• Trial and optimise manufacturing processes, equipment settings and production methods.
• Collect and analyse process data using Excel to assess trial performance.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities through reformulation, waste reduction and process improvements.
• Work alongside production teams to troubleshoot issues and improve line performance.
• Conduct sensory and quality checks against product specifications.
• Support continuous improvement projects across manufacturing.
• Liaise with Product Development, QA and Engineering on trials, equipment and process improvements.
• Maintain accurate trial records, batch sheets, protocols and SOPs.
• Support shelf-life, stability and packaging studies as required.

Skills

FMCG experience

Food technology

Process engineering

Excel proficiency

Data analysis

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Onsite working

Meat processing

Education

Degree in Food Science

Biology

Process Engineering

Tools

Excel

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026.

Full time, Permanent

Join Hellers

Hellers is a well-established New Zealand food manufacturer with a strong focus on producing quality products efficiently and continuously improving the way it operates.

About the Role

Reporting to the Operations & Improvement Manager, you’ll sit at the intersection of product development, manufacturing and continuous improvement. You’ll support trials from initial formulation through to full-scale production, while also looking at how processes, equipment and production methods can be improved.

This is an opportunity to work closely with teams across the business and play a hands‑on role in turning ideas into practical improvements on the factory floor. You’ll be a valuable team member, tasked with identifying better ways of doing things, improving manufacturing processes and contributing to product development.

This is a hands‑on position. You’ll spend significant time on the factory floor working alongside production teams, setting up trials, monitoring equipment, troubleshooting issues and using data to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Key responsibilities include:

• Support product development, reformulation and scale‑up trials from bench‑top through to production
• Trial and optimise manufacturing processes, equipment settings and production methods
• Collect and analyse process data using Excel to assess trial performance and identify opportunities
• Identify cost‑saving opportunities through reformulation, waste reduction and process improvements
• Work alongside production teams to troubleshoot issues and improve line performance
• Conduct sensory and quality checks against product specifications
• Support continuous improvement projects across manufacturing
• Liaise with Product Development, QA and Engineering on trials, equipment and process improvements
• Maintain accurate trial records, batch sheets, protocols and SOPs
• Support shelf‑life, stability and packaging compatibility studies as required

About You

We’re looking for someone with a great attitude, excellent communication across all levels of the business, and ideally with a product development background. You will enjoy working hands‑on and be self‑driven with a genuine interest in identifying areas for improvement.

• 5+ years’ experience working in an FMCG or food manufacturing environment.
• Experience in food technology, product development preferred, otherwise process engineering or a related field.
• A degree in Food Science, Biology, Process Engineering or a related (preferred).
• Meat processing experience advantageous.
• Strong analytical skills and confidence using Excel and process data.
• A practical, hands‑on approach to trials and problem‑solving.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• A genuine interest in continuous improvement and finding better ways of working.
• Comfortable working onsite in a meat processing environment.
• Ability to build relationships on the factory floor and communicate effectively with people across different areas of the business.
• Driven personality, keen to learn.

What’s on Offer

• Competitive salary depending on experience.
• Employee benefits including paid birthday leave, enhanced parental leave, product discounts, health insurance scheme, free onsite parking.
• A hands‑on role with genuine influence over manufacturing and product development.
• The opportunity to work across Product Development, Production, QA and Engineering.
• Learning and development opportunities.