Research & Development Industrial Placement - Product Development 2026

PepsiCo; Leicester; On-site; GBP 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A global food and beverage company is seeking enthusiastic undergraduates for a 12-month R&D placement starting July 2026 in Leicester. You will support product innovation and conduct trials in a fast-paced environment. Ideal candidates are in their penultimate year of university with a focus on science or engineering. The salary is £25,500 with benefits including 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and a competitive pension scheme.

Benefits

Vibrant culture

Development and mentoring

Discounted PepsiCo products

Market-leading health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Must have the full right to work for the 12-month placement.
• Currently in their penultimate year of university.
• Interest in food is essential.

Responsibilities

• Hands on product development, including planning and executing trials.
• Working with product insights and analytical teams.
• Liaising within R&D and cross-functionally.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Numerical skills

Computer literate

Self-motivation

Critical thinking

Education

Path to a degree in science, engineering, or food-related field

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 2026 on a full-time basis.All our Research & Development opportunities are based out of Beaumont Park, Leicester.

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

Within the R&D Foods Product Development Teams you will be supporting product innovation, productivity, continuity and/orlong-term research projects. You will work alongside scientists and engineers, on creative product development in R&D development kitchens, process labs and manufacturing plants. You will have a high level ofautonomy where your work will directly impact our business results: working with our current products and on future product development.

Responsibilities

What you will be doing:

• Hands on product development, including planning and executing kitchen, pilot and factory scale trials
• Working with product insights and analytical teams to measure product attributes and understand consumer preferences
• Liaising within R&D, and cross-functionally, with teams, technical experts, and contractors, globally, as well as using literature searches to deliver key aspects of work streams.
• Building and investigating fundamental scientific insights under-pinning product development.
• Other activities will include arranging product testing programmes, sample shipment, administration, submitting samples for laboratory analysis, writing up results and reporting back to key members of the project teams.

Qualifications

What are we looking for?

• Students that have the full right to work for the duration of the full time placement (July 2026-July 2027).
• Students currently in their penultimate year of university studies, where the course includes the option of completing a sandwich placement before returning to study after the placement.
• Following path to a degree level qualification in science, engineering or food related field
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Numerical skills including data analysis and interpretation
• Computer literate
• High degree of self-motivation combined with good organisational skills
• Strong critical thinking ability
• Initiative and drive to deliver results of trials and activities and able to be pro-active and multi-task.
• An interest in food
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate to a diverse audience across function, culture and level

What else do you need to know?

Our placements start in July 2026 on a full-time basis and will last for 12 months. The salary is £25,500.

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

Our application process involves:

• Online application
• One way video interview sent to you by Talent Acquisition team: September- October 2025
• Virtual Assessment Centre November- December 2025 (subject to change)

Application Closing Date: 20th October

Our application window is scheduled to close on the above date, however, in the event of a large response we will close applications early. We would therefore encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

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.