Research & Development Industrial Placement - Nutrition Sciences 2027

PepsiCo Inc.; Leicester; 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 days bank,

Discounted PepsiCo products

Competitive pension scheme

Virtual GP for you and family 24/7

Discounted gym membership

Job summary

PepsiCo is offering a 12-month placement for undergraduates to join its Life Sciences EMEA team, starting July 2027 on a full-time basis. You will work on nutrition science projects that support innovation and brand activation across PepsiCo's portfolio.

From day one you’ll gain guidance and development in a fast-paced, consumer-focused environment, with responsibilities ranging from educational resources to nutritional assessments and monthly reports.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in nutrition, dietetics or a related field.
• Strong and broad range of digital skills.
• Good critical analysis skills to interpret published scientific information.
• Ability to translate evidence-based nutrition information for diverse audiences.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities across teams.

Responsibilities

• Create educational resources on nutrition topics.
• Conduct nutritional assessments of internal and competitor products.
• Support nutrition research for innovation and brand activation.
• Develop monthly media reports on business, portfolio and nutrition science.
• Collaborate with sports science and other specialist teams.
• Participate in journal clubs and present scientific information.
• Provide nutrition guidance to relevant teams under guidance.

Skills

Nutrition knowledge

Digital skills

Critical analysis

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Self-motivation

Presentation skills

Evidence-based mindset

Education

Nutrition/dietetics related 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

Our Life Sciences EMEA Team is responsible for developing and implementing the nutrition sciences strategy across the broad geography of Europe, Middle East and Africa. This role is pivotal in supporting the work of the team, taking ownership of projects, expanding your knowledge whilst translating that knowledge into business relevant action and gaining invaluable experience of working as a nutritionist in a global food company. PepsiCo’s portfolio stretches across a wide range of food and beverage products, encompassing every possible nutritional opportunity and challenge.

Responsibilities

What will you be doing?

• Creating educational resources and materials on a variety of nutrition related topics
• Conducting nutritional assessments of internal and competitor products
• Being a part of research to support innovation and brand activation
• Developing monthly media reports relevant to the business, portfolio and nutrition science
• Collaborating with specialist teams, including sports science, to support business-relevant projects.
• Being involved with journal clubs, critically evaluating research papers, and presenting scientific information within the team and to other teams internally
• Under the guidance of other team members, providing nutrition guidance and support to the relevant teams on a variety of nutrition topics

Qualifications

What we are looking for:

• Following path to a degree level qualification in nutrition, dietetics or related field
• Strong and broad range of digital skills
• Good critical analysis skills to interpret published scientific information
• Good level of ability to translate evidence based scientific information in an easy-to-understand manner to a range of audiences
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate to a diverse audience and the ability to effectively collaborate with others
• High degree of self-motivation combined with good organisational skills
• Concise and persuasive communicator with excellent written and verbal presentation skills, including to non-technical audiences
• Strong passion for evidence-based nutrition science

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.