R&D Candy Associate Specialist

Perfetti Van Melle; Lainate; On-site; EUR 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

40,000€ gross annual starting salary

Job summary

Perfetti Van Melle is expanding its European R&D team and seeks a GRDQ HBC, LLP and Tabs Candy Associate Specialist to drive new product development and tech platforms from formulation to line start-up.

You will design recipes, ensure ingredients and packaging alignment, lead lab activities, and collaborate with engineering and PEC to optimize processes, reduce waste, and deliver on-time launches.

Qualifications

• Degree in Food Technology or Food Engineering or other scientific education.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in FMCG, preferably confectionery.
• Know-how of raw materials and their functions.
• Know-how of relevant technological processes and equipment.
• Attitude to work in laboratory and with machines.
• Ability to gather and analyse process and quality data with statistical software.
• Ability to work on multiple projects, prioritize, monitor progress using PvM software.
• Collaborate in cross functional projects with a variety of stakeholders.
• Good project management skills (Plan & Time).
• Preferable Lean manufacturing (green belt).
• Good English level.
• Travelling abroad for support / trials / start up

Responsibilities

• Participate in new product and process development during Stage & Gate process from lab to post-launch.
• Design recipes under supervision; ensure ingredients, claims and nutrition align with policies.
• Coordinate with suppliers to identify new ingredients opportunities.
• Lead laboratory activities; plan experiments; document results and conclusions.
• Contribute to design of new manufacturing lines or upgrades with R&D, Engineering and PEC.
• Initiate or participate in projects to reduce waste and improve quality and efficiency.
• Support locations in new line startup or production transfers.
• Provide information to PEC and participate in brainstorming sessions for process optimization.
• Prepare technical reports and presentations for stakeholders.
• Develop knowledge in raw materials, equipment and sensory fields.
• Support breakthroughs aligned with long-term strategy.
• Ensure timely delivery of R&D products innovations.

Skills

English proficiency

Education

Degree in Food Technology or Food Engineering or other scientific education

Tools

PvM software

Job description

We are the second largest producers of sweets and chewing gum in the world and leaders in the Italian market. Our brands such as Vigorsol, Daygum Vivident, Big Babol, Brooklyn, Golia, Chupa Chups, Fruittella, Mentos, Goleador are in the hearts, homes and pockets of millions of consumers of every generation. We at Perfetti Van Melle put a lot of passion, competence and spirit of innovation into making them increasingly current, attractive and responsive to the needs of our consumers.

Our purpose “Innovative Treats. Better Future” puts innovation at the center of our strategy in everything we do, with a great sense of responsibility to guarantee a better future for our people, our consumers and our planet.

Our European team is expanding and we are looking for a new GRDQ HBC, LLP and Tabs Candy Associate Specialist!

Main Purpose of the role

We are looking for a new colleague who will join our Group R&D Hard Boiled Candy, Lollipop and Tabs team.

The new colleague will be responsible to drive NPD, Technology Platforms, Value Engineering and Technological support activies of low/medium complexity, under the supervision of the Group R&D Manager, from formulation development to industrial line start up, ensuring expected consumer product experience and on time delivery.

What you will do

• Participate in new product and process development of the assigned category, in compliance with Group & Local strategies during the whole Stage & Gate process from lab till post launch;
• Design recipes with the supervision of Group R&D HBC/Tablet Manager. Make sure that new products are aligned with Group R&D policies regarding ingredients, claims and nutritional contents. Make sure to consider industrial process & machines implications when designing a new product, as well as shelf life stability in the defined packaging format;
• Cooperate to innovate or to improve quality and cost of edible part, also keeping contacts with external suppliers for identifying new ingredients opportunities;
• Lead the laboratory activities of the assigned category, for new recipes or improvement of existing ones; prepare experiments plan, recipes and procedures; record accurately experimental objectives, methods, results and conclusions;
• Contribute to design new manufacturing line or upgrade/improve the existing, in close cooperation with R&D Manager, Group Engineering and PEC (Process Excellence Center), starting with process flow chart drafting
• Initiate ideas or participate actively to projects to reduce waste, increase quality and efficiency and monitor execution of existing processes
• Support manufacturing locations in new industrial line startup or production transfers.
• Support PEC with information and brainstorming sessions to optimize new /existing processes
• Prepare technical reports and presentations for internal discussions with stakeholders
• Contribute to build up-to-date knowledge and technology scouting in the areas of raw materials, process equipment and sensory to continuously improve self and teams' technical know-how
• Contribute to define technical solutions aimed to sustain the breakthrough innovation pipeline in accordance with company long term strategy
• Participate in smooth running of projects (plan-execution) and interaction with other departments / stakeholders and monitor the process. Ensure R&D Products Innovation deliverables are executed correctly and on time

Our Perfect Candidate

• Degree in Food Technology or Food Engineering or other scientific education
• Minimum 3 years of experience in FMCG, preferable in confectionery product and process.
• Know-how of raw materials and its functions
• Know-how of relevant technological processes and equipments
• Attitude to work in laboratory and with machines
• Ability to gather and analyse process and quality data with statistical software; digital and statistical/data analysis capabilities.
• Ability to work on multiple projects, prioritize, monitor the progress by using PvM software
• Collaborate in cross functional projects with a variety of stakeholders
• Good project management skills (Plan & Time)
• Preferable Lean manufacturing (green belt)
• Good English level
• Travelling abroad for support / trials / start up

• The position offers a gross annual salary starting from 40,000€.
• Additional compensation and company benefits may also apply and will be discussed and defined during the selection process and on an individual basis.

Here in Perfetti Van Melle there is a culture of respect and valorization of diversity.

Therefore, applications, recruiting processes and development paths in the company are opportunities open to all people without any type of discrimination.