Senior Packaging Technologist – Material Development & Validation

AG Barr Group; Cumbernauld, Bolton, Milton Keynes, Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

34 days holiday

Bonus

Flexible holiday trading

Living Wage Employer

Peppy Health

Life assurance

Save as you earn scheme

Free AG Barr products

Pension

Annual salary review

Job summary

AG Barr Group is seeking a Senior Packaging Technologist to join our R&D function, specialising in Material Development and Validation. Reporting to the Packaging Manager, you will bridge concept and commercial reality by profiling materials, industrialising components and validating packaging formats across the supply chain.

You will lead resin profiling, recycled material blends, and ensure carbonation retention and structural performance.

Qualifications

• Degree level education in Packaging, Science or Engineering with significant post-graduate experience in a technical packaging role within an FMCG business.
• Proven expertise in technical validation and material profiling across multiple formats (PET/rPET, can, carton, glass).
• Experience leading factory trials and bridging R&D specs to high-speed operations.
• Knowledge of packaging material manufacture and liquid filling technologies.
• Familiarity with quality systems such as GFSI, BRC, HACCP.

Responsibilities

• Act as the lead technical authority for material integrity and functional performance of packaging components.
• Design and run technical validation programmes and factory trials for new formats.
• Lead material science workstreams including resin profiling and recycled blends.
• Collaborate with Procurement and Production to validate supply chain optimisations.
• Own technical specifications and ensure compliance with quality standards and legislation.
• Provide governance within Stage & Gate processes, managing risk from material and manufacturing perspectives.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Technical validation

Packaging expertise

Project coordination

Quality standards

Education

Degree in Packaging/Science/Engineering

Tools

PET & rPET

Injection/Stretch blow moulding

Aluminium cans, glass, cartons

Job description

Job Title: Senior Packaging Technologist – Material Development & Validation

Location: Hybrid working 2-3 days per week from any of our HUBS (Cumbernauld, Bolton, Milton Keynes, London)

Are you ready to Be Your Best Barr None?

Lets Grow!!!

We are all about Being Your Best Barr None and having a career with real Moments that Matter!

Employing around 850 people across the UK, we are proud to be a responsible business that takes care of our people, values diversity, gives something back to our communities and works to minimise our environmental impact.

For 150 years AG Barr has been building great brands and is home to some of the nations favourite flavours.

At our core is IRN-BRU, launched in 1901 and still going strong today, the vibrant RUBICON fruit based brand, Boost making every moment better with a caffeine kick, hydration hit or tasty treat, and FUNKIN where real fruit means authentic taste.

We also have a number of exciting owned brands within our portfolio including MOMA, which crafts quality oats into great tasting oat drinks and porridges.

There's never been a better time to join us!

What we’re looking for...

We are looking for a Senior Packaging Technologist to join our R&D function and specialise in delivering Material Development & Validation activity. Reporting to the R&D Packaging Manager, this role is the technical bridge between packaging concept and commercial reality.

You will lead the technical profiling of materials, the industrialisation of new components, and the rigorous validation of packaging formats across our supply chain. From the technical qualification of advanced polymer resins to the structural optimisation of primary containers and the integration of novel secondary packaging formats, you will ensure our packaging architecture is robust, technically sound, and perfectly calibrated for our high-speed manufacturing assets.

Your responsibilities will include...

• Acting as the lead technical authority for the material integrity and functional performance of primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging components.
• Designing and executing comprehensive technical validation programmes and factory trials to ensure new formats—such as new container shapes, enhanced closure systems, or alternative collation materials—perform flawlessly on-line.
• Leading material science workstreams, including the profiling and qualification of new resins and recycled material blends to ensure carbonation retention and structural performance.
• Collaborating with Procurement and Production teams to identify and validate supply chain optimisations, including lightweighting initiatives and material efficiency projects.
• Owning the technical specifications for all packaging materials, ensuring they meet AG Barr’s rigorous quality standards and comply with evolving environmental and packaging legislation.
• Providing technical governance within our Stage & Gate process, managing risk and feasibility from a material and manufacturing perspective.

What you’ll bring...

The successful candidate will have;

• Education to degree level or equivalent, in Packaging, Science or Engineering with significant post-graduate experience in a technical packaging role within an FMCG business.
• Proven expertise in technical validation and material profiling across multiple formats, encompassing polymer performance (PET/rPET) and injection/stretch blow moulding, as well as aluminium cans, glass, and carton packaging (e.g., Tetra Pak).
• Experience in leading complex factory trials and bridging the gap between R&D specifications and high-speed operational reality.
• A sound knowledge of packaging material manufacture, liquid filling technologies, bottle labelling, multipacking and palletisation within the drinks industry.
• Knowledge and operation of GFSI, BRC, HACCP and other quality management systems is essential.
• Ability to assess and manage technical risks, develop robust trial protocols, and put in place definitive packaging specifications.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and external suppliers to deliver technical excellence.

What we offer…

We believe in creating a diverse and inclusive culture where your voice can be heard. Our skilled, loyal and committed people are critical to the future success of AG Barr which is why we are continually investing in our employees to develop their talent.

We look after our employees by offering a competitive salary and benefits package which includes;

• 34 days holiday
• Bonus
• Flexible holiday trading
• Living Wage Employer
• Peppy Health
• Life assurance
• Save as you earn scheme
• Free AG Barr products throughout your working day
• Pension
• Annual salary review

And much more!

To find out more about what it is like to work for AG Barr, please visit our careers platform here.

We are an equal opportunities employer and happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that may be needed for successful candidates with a disability, health or mental health condition.

Our large factories produce multi formats across a number of high speed modern lines, to high quality standards whilst maximising production outputs and minimising overhead costs and whilst we have highlighted our ideal requirements for this role, we are realistic that the successful candidate probably won't meet every single requirement in this advert, but we are big advocates of people growing in role. So even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to submit an application - you may be just what we are looking for!

Speculative CVs from agencies will not be accepted.

Latest closing date for applications is 31st July

Please note, we may close vacancies early where we receive significant numbers of applications.