Science and Technology Manager

Ornua Co-operative Limited; Ireland; On-site; EUR 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Ornua Co-operative Limited, based in Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland, seeks a Science & Technology Manager on a 12-month fixed-term contract to lead defined platforms within the Global R&D, Science and Technology Department. You will drive experimental research projects that enable new product development and process improvements, translating findings into scalable formulations and factory-ready specifications.

You will manage trials from laboratory to pilot plant and collaborate with Dairy

Qualifications

• 3+ years’ experience in NPD within Food, Beverage or Pharma industries; dairy knowledge is a plus.
• Expert dairy chemistry and dairy functionality knowledge through experience or qualifications.
• Practical dairy manufacturing experience and robust lab/technical skills will be advantageous.
• Project management and IT experience; ability to disseminate results to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver Science and Technology programmes on specific platforms with clear plans and timelines.
• Design and execute laboratory, pilot plant and factory trials to generate data for formulation and process development.
• Resolve technical challenges in new products through structured experiments and data analysis.
• Translate lab and pilot work into factory processes and product specifications with internal teams.
• Build external research collaborations and supplier trials for new ingredients and technologies.
• Supervise and develop technical staff, ensuring safe and quality execution of work.
• Document research outcomes for Revenue R&D tax credit requirements.

Skills

NPD experience

Dairy chemistry expertise

Laboratory skills

Project management

IT skills

Stakeholder communication

Job description

Job Title : Science & Technology Manager - 12-month Fixed-Term Contract

Department : Global R&D, Science and Technology Department

Ornua is a leading dairy co-operative which sells premium dairy products globally on behalf of its Member Co-operatives, Ireland’s dairy processors and, in turn, Irish dairy farmers.

Ornua has revenues of €3.4 billion and is supported by a global team of approximately 2,800 employees. The Group operates as a commercial organisation across 10 business units, including 12 production facilities located in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa.

The commercial organisation is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Ireland’s most successful food export: Kerrygold. Consumer markets are served by production facilities in Ireland, Germany and the UK and by in‑market Sales & Marketing Teams in Asia, Germany, Ireland, MEA, Poland, Spain, rest of Europe and North and Latin America.

It also manages the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products, the sale of dairy ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers globally, and the implementation of de‑risking and trading strategies to manage market volatility. These activities are supported by production facilities and in‑market teams in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa.

Job Summary

The successful candidate will join the innovation team of Science and Technology Managers, Dairy Technologists and Laboratory Technicians based in Moorepark, Fermoy, forming part of the Global R&D team supporting Kerrygold’s growth in its global markets.

The role leads defined Science and Technology platforms, delivering experimental research programmes that generate and validate new product and process technologies. The output of this work supports product development, improves process capability, and enables entry into new categories aligned with business growth objectives. The role is accountable for upstream research and its integration into downstream product development, ensuring that scientific findings are translated into defined formulations, processes and specifications suitable for pilot and factory implementation.

Key areas of responsibility

• Define and deliver Science and Technology programmes on specific platforms with clear experimental plans, outputs and timelines.
• Design and execute laboratory, pilot plant and factory trials to generate data to support formulation, process development and commercial decisions.
• Identify and resolve technical challenges in new products (e.g. stability, texture, shelf life, processing constraints) through structured experimental work and data analysis.
• Translate laboratory and pilot work into factory processes and product specifications in collaboration with the New Product Development, New Product Manufacturing and Packaging teams.
• Build and manage external research collaborations and supplier trials to evaluate new ingredients, technologies and processing approaches.
• Supervise and develop technical staff, ensuring safe, efficient and high ‑ quality execution of laboratory and pilot work.
• Document research work to meet Revenue R&D tax credit requirements, including clear definition of technological uncertainties, experimental design and outcomes.

Key Requirements & Attributes

• 3+ years’ experience in the NPD within the Food, Beverage or Pharma Industries. Experience in the Dairy Industry is an advantage.
• Expert dairy chemistry and dairy functionality knowledge either through experience or academic qualifications.
• Practical experience of dairy manufacturing is desirable as well as robust laboratory and technical skills in the dairy field.
• Project management and IT experience/skills.An ability to disseminate and interpret results to key stakeholders.

WORKING TOGETHER

Encourages co-operation in own team and supports cross functional learning.

RIGOUR

For projects that involve others applies effective professional skill, analysis and decision making, and planning and reviewing.

OWNERHSIP

Clarifies accountabilities, overlaps, and gaps, and helps others remain motivated through difficult times.

FORWARD LOOKING

Helps others to accept change, implement change, and looks ahead to anticipate change.