Research & Development Industrial Placement - Agricultural Sciences 2027

PepsiCo; Leicester; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vibrant culture

Development mentoring

25 days annual leave

Birthday leave

Discounted PepsiCo products

Pension scheme

Virtual GP for you & family

Gym discount

Job summary

PepsiCo offers a 12-month R&D placement starting July 2027 for undergraduates. You’ll join the Agricultural Science team to work on crop ingredients behind Walkers and Quaker Oats, focusing on productivity, resilience and sustainability across the supply chain.

Responsibilities include supporting field, storage and lab projects, data collection and trial reporting, with guidance from scientists. Enjoy mentoring and a strong development focus in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in Agricultural Science, Plant Science, Biology, Biochemistry, Environmental Science or related field.
• A full UK driving licence is required for travel to field locations.
• Interest in hands-on field, lab and office tasks including crop trials and data collection.
• Curious about crop science, sustainable agriculture and resilience in farming systems.
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel and data handling; capable of reporting results.

Responsibilities

• Support field, storage and laboratory projects across key crops—trial planning, set-up, monitoring, data collection, sample processing.
• Collect, organise and check trial data; help interpret results and support project decisions.
• Prepare trial summaries, reports and presentations showing findings and linkage to project brief.
• Collaborate with internal teams, technical specialists and external partners to deliver project activities.
• Develop knowledge of crop research, trialling, technology and sustainable agriculture with the team.

Skills

Agricultural science degree

Plant science

Biology

Excel

Data handling

Teamwork

Communication

Driving licence

Organisational skills

Education

Degree in Agricultural Science

Tools

Excel

Job description

Overview

You’ve learned a lot as a student already. Want to put it into practice at PepsiCo?

Our placement programmes are structured to give you the chance to make an impact on some of the world’s biggest brands. From day one, you’ll be working on projects that matter. You will shake things up, shape trends, and get guidance and development to help you discover your potential.

We are looking for enthusiastic undergraduates to join our R&D teams on a 12-month placement programme starting in July 2027 on a full-time basis.

Innovation takes centre stage at PepsiCo! That means our Global R&D team are at the heart of the action and are kept busy creating the products of the future, for our global consumers. In a fast-paced consumer environment, our research and development capability is crucial to provide a fresh twist to our favourite brands as well as creating new to the world healthy choices that we need to succeed in the market. Our research and development focusses on building a consumer-centric understanding, enabling us to design products for the latest consumer needs - whether nutrition, refreshment, or indulgence – driving our growth both now and in the future.

You’ll have lots of autonomy where your decisions will really make a difference to our business and in return, you’ll have the chance to develop your skills and experience in a fast paced, energetic environment.

Overview of the role:

The Agricultural Science team uses practical research and data-led insight to improve the crop ingredients behind some of PepsiCo’s best-known brands, including Walkers and Quaker Oats. Our work spans potato and oat variety development, field and storage trials, crop physiology, agritech and regenerative farming practices. During this 12-month placement, you will support scientists working on applied research projects that help improve crop productivity, resilience and sustainability across our agricultural supply chain.

Responsibilities

What will you be doing?

• Support field, storage and laboratory projects across key crops, including trial planning, set-up, monitoring, data collection and sample processing
• Collect, organise and check trial data, then use it to help interpret results and support project decisions with guidance from the team
• Prepare clear trial summaries, reports and presentations that explain findings and show how they relate to the project brief
• Build your knowledge of crop research, trialling, technology and sustainable agriculture by working with colleagues across the Agricultural Science team
• Work with internal teams, technical specialists and external partners to help deliver project activities where required

Qualifications

What we are looking for

• Studying towards a degree in Agricultural Science, Plant Science, Biology, Biochemistry, Environmental Science or a related subject
• A full UK driving licence is required, as the role involves travel to field trial locations
• Interested in gaining hands-on experience across field, laboratory and office-based work, including crop trials, sample processing and data collection
• Curious about crop science, sustainable agriculture and how research can support more resilient farming systems.
• Comfortable using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and keen to develop skills in data handling, analysis and reporting
• Able to work well in a team, ask questions and communicate clearly with colleagues, contractors and external partners
• Organised, reliable and able to manage time effectively, follow instructions and complete tasks with attention to detail
• Some understanding of agricultural systems or crop production would be helpful, but practical experience is not essential

What else do you need to know?

Our placements start in July 2027 on a full-time basis and will last for 12 months. The salary is £26,600.

Other benefits:

• Vibrant culture
• Development and mentoring
• 25 days annual leave plus 8 days bank holidays, birthday leave
• Discounted PepsiCo products
• Competitive pension scheme
• Market-leading health and wellbeing benefits: Virtual GP: available to you and your family 24/7
• Discounted gym membership, SWORD; online free digital physiotherapy service

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated nearly$92 billion in net revenue in 2024, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio thatincludes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the centre of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people.