Product Development Home Economist

Northgate Vehicle Hire Careers; Royal Leamington Spa; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Northgate Vehicle Hire Careers is seeking a Product Development Home Economist to join their Lab team in Royal Leamington Spa. This role focuses on evaluating cooking performance of white goods and involves conducting cooking trials, analyzing outcomes, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate has a degree in Home Economics or Food Science and demonstrates strong practical cooking skills along with excellent analytical and communication abilities. Remote work may be required as travel between sites is necessary.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent experience in Home Economics or Food Science.
• Ability to design and evaluate cooking trials.
• Strong analytical skills for interpreting results.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and evaluate cooking performance trials.
• Develop test methods and improve accuracy.
• Collaborate with teams to support product development.

Skills

Practical cooking expertise

Analytical ability

Excellent written communication skills

Planning and workload management

Education

Degree in Home Economics or Food Science

Job description

Location: Leamington Spa, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Ref#: 147549

Product Development Home Economist (White Goods)

Role Purpose

We are seeking a Product Development Home Economist to join our Lab team, focusing on the cooking performance of white goods.

This role is central to evaluating and improving how our appliances perform in real‑world cooking scenarios, ensuring products are intuitive, reliable, and aligned with consumer expectations.

You will design, execute, and evaluate cooking trials, translating technical findings into clear, actionable insights that directly influence product design and development.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, conduct, and evaluate repeatable cooking performance trials across a range of white goods appliances
• Develop and refine test methods and protocols to improve consistency and accuracy over time
• Analyse results, identify trends and root causes, and translate findings into clear recommendations for product improvement
• Maintain strong, structured documentation and ensure accurate record keeping across all testing activities
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to support product development decisions
• Contribute to the understanding of consumer appliance usage and highlight usability risks with practical improvement suggestions
• Support the creation of user guidance materials, including cooking charts, FAQs, troubleshooting content, and training resources (where applicable)
• Manage workload effectively, balancing multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast‑paced development environment
• Work independently as a self‑starter while contributing effectively within a team
• Travel between sites (including Telford) as required

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Degree in Home Economics, Food Science, or a related discipline (or equivalent relevant experience)
• Strong practical cooking expertise with the ability to design, execute, and evaluate repeatable cooking trials
• Excellent written communication skills with disciplined and accurate record keeping
• Strong analytical ability to interpret results, identify trends/root causes, and present clear recommendations
• Proven ability to plan and manage workload effectively under competing priorities and deadlines
• Experience developing or refining test methods and protocols
• Self‑motivated and able to work independently with minimal supervision
• Understanding of consumer appliance usage and ability to identify usability risks with practical solutions
• Willingness and ability to travel between sites (including Telford)