Research & Development Industrial Placement - Global Process - Global Process- Flavour & Seasoning 2027

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

Benefits offered by this job

Vibrant culture

Development and mentoring

25 days annual leave plus 8 bank-hols,

Birthday leave

Discounted PepsiCo products

Competitive pension scheme

Health and wellbeing benefits

Discounted gym membership

Digital physiotherapy service

Job summary

PepsiCo is seeking enthusiastic undergraduates for a 12-month placement in Global R&D, starting July 2027, in the United Kingdom. You will work on the Global Flavour & Seasonings Process Capabilities team, addressing manufacturing challenges with data science, engineering, and AI.

You will lead bench- and pilot-scale experiments, apply scale-up fundamentals, and collaborate with internal teams and external partners to develop scalable process solutions.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or other relevant engineering disciplines.
• Interest in hands-on experimental work at bench and pilot-scale.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a team with strong communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute bench- and pilot-scale experimental trials.
• Scale up/down fundamentals for transfer to commercial scale.
• Apply AI, machine learning, and statistics to generate insights.
• Develop technical solutions for process/engineering projects with internal teams.
• Maintain safe, organized pilot-plant operations and materials flow.
• Participate in process and machinery safety assessments.
• Collaborate globally with Research Institutes, Consultancies and Suppliers.

Skills

Chemical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

R&D interest

Hands-on experimentation

Communication skills

Education

Pursuing engineering degree

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 Global Flavour & Seasonings Process Capabilities team is responsible for the development and improvement of seasoning delivery process technologies across PepsiCo global foods portfolio. In this role, you’ll work at the intersection of food innovation, engineering and data science, helping to solve real-world manufacturing challenges, develop scalable process solutions to make our processes more efficient, robust and future-ready.

Responsibilities

What will you be doing?

• Lead and execute experimental trials at both bench and pilot scale to build insights to support development and implementation of new processing technologies.
• Apply scale up or scale down fundamentals to ensure results obtained from experimental studies are transferrable to our processes at commercial scale.
• Leverage AI, machine learning, and statistical tools to generate insights and support decision-making.
• Develop technical solutions for process and/or mechanical engineering projects, collaborating with internal teams and external experts.
• Maintain a safe and organized environment in the pilot plant during periods of high activity, including working with pilot plant team to ensure a seamless supply of raw materials and services.
• Participate in process and machinery safety assessment of projects.
• Working globally with Research Institutes, Consultancies and Suppliers, to build new technology for PepsiCo based on leading edge scientific knowledge.

Qualifications

What we are looking for:

• Currently pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or other relevant engineering disciplines.
• Technical curiosity and interest in working in an R&D environment, learning new scientific and engineering concepts to solve real-world manufacturing challenges.
• Interest in hands-on experimental work, including at bench-scale and pilot-scale.
• Ability to manage tasks independently while working as part of a team.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain ideas clearly in written and oral form.
• Great team player, able to collaborate with people from different technical backgrounds.
• Strong commitment to safety, quality and responsible ways of working.

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

Application Closing Date: 20th October 2026

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 that includes 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.