R&D Processing Engineer – Pilot & Scale-Up

PepsiCo Inc.; Leicester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

PepsiCo Inc. in the United Kingdom seeks a Process Development Engineer to drive flavor and seasoning technology from bench through pilot to manufacturing scale. You will manage trials, design experiments, and transform data into insights to support productivity and innovation.

The role involves cross-functional collaboration, some supervision of junior teammates, and ensuring safe, compliant operations across lab and pilot plant facilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemical/Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or closely related field.
• 2 years’ experience in engineering or R&D / technology development.
• Experience in project management, ideally covering product or process development.
• Ability to interpret complex data and design experiments with statistical inference.
• Understanding of scale-up science, both theory and practice, and related hypothesis testing.
• Plant operations experience is highly desirable (factory or pilot scale).

Responsibilities

• Lead process development workstreams from bench to pilot and manufacturing scales.
• Plan trials and coordinate resources to maximize learning between product- and process-led trials.
• Generate hypotheses, design and report experiments, and transform data into actionable insights.
• Develop solutions for pilot-plant scale processes with path to full-scale manufacturing.
• Collaborate with external partners such as vendors, universities, and open innovation partners.
• Possibly supervise PepsiCo associates on pilots or trials.
• Manage engineering projects and some R&D budgets; uphold safe systems of work and food safety standards.

Skills

Project management

Data analysis

Experimental design

Statistical inference

Scale-up knowledge

R&D experience

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Chemical/Process Engineering or Mechanical Engineering, or closely related subject (e.g., Biochemical/ Food engineering)

Job description

PepsiCo Inc. in the United Kingdom seeks a Process Development Engineer to drive flavor and seasoning technology from bench through pilot to manufacturing scale. You will manage trials, design experiments, and transform data into insights to support productivity and innovation.

The role involves cross-functional collaboration, some supervision of junior teammates, and ensuring safe, compliant operations across lab and pilot plant facilities.