Senior Product Development Technologist

Goodman Fielder New Zealand; Auckland; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Goodman Fielder in Auckland is seeking a Senior Product Development Technologist – Dairy to lead dairy product development from concept through to commercialisation. You will own projects, manage timelines, costs and technical specs while partnering with Marketing, Operations and Quality to bring products to market.

In this fixed-term role through Aug 2027, you’ll ensure regulatory compliance and food safety, coach junior technologists and leverage your dairy expertise to deliver high‑quality

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ product development experience within a dairy industry, FMCG or food manufacturing environment.
• A degree in Dairy/Food Technology, Food Science or a related discipline.
• Strong dairy product development experience across high‑protein UHT RTD/beverage, yoghurt, cultured dairy products, cheese, or whipping cream.
• Hands‑on experience with bench trials, factory trials, sensory evaluation and product commercialisation.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results at pace.
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving and stakeholder management skills.
• A proactive, collaborative mindset, with the confidence to challenge thinking and turn ideas into action.
• Knowledge of food regulatory requirements, quality standards and food safety.
• Motivation to learn and develop AI skills

Responsibilities

• Lead new dairy product development, product improvements and cost-saving initiatives from concept to commercialisation.
• Manage project plans, timelines, costing and technical specifications to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Partner with Marketing, Operations, Quality and other stakeholders to bring products to market.
• Ensure products and processes meet regulatory, HACCP, quality and safety requirements.
• Coach and support junior technologists, sharing expertise and building team capability.
• Due to the export nature of many of our products, fluency in Mandarin would be beneficial

Skills

Product development

Dairy industry

Project management

Quality & food safety

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Team coaching

AI learning

Education

Degree in Dairy/Food Technology

Job description

Love turning great ideas into products people love? Join Goodman Fielder as our Senior Product Development Technologist – Dairy, leading product development and innovation across our dairy portfolio.

This is an exciting fixed-term opportunity through to the end of August 2027, where you’ll take ownership of projects from formulation and bench trials through to factory trials and commercialisation. You’ll combine your dairy technical expertise with strong project management and commercial thinking to develop products that meet consumer needs, deliver business outcomes and uphold the highest standards of quality and food safety.

Working closely with cross-functional teams, you’ll help shape innovation plans, improve existing products and identify opportunities to deliver better products, smarter processes and greater value.

What you will do

• Lead new dairy product development, product improvements and cost-saving initiatives from concept to commercialisation.
• Manage project plans, timelines, costing and technical specifications to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Partner with Marketing, Operations, Quality and other stakeholders to bring products to market.
• Ensure products and processes meet regulatory, HACCP, quality and safety requirements.
• Coach and support junior technologists, sharing expertise and building team capability.
• Due to the export nature of many of our products, fluency in Mandarin would be beneficial

What you will bring

• 5+ years’ product development experience within a dairy industry, FMCG or food manufacturing environment.
• A degree in Dairy/Food Technology, Food Science or a related discipline.
• Strong dairy product development experience across high‑protein UHT RTD/beverage, yoghurt, cultured dairy products, cheese, or whipping cream.
• Hands‑on experience with bench trials, factory trials, sensory evaluation and product commercialisation.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results at pace.
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving and stakeholder management skills.
• A proactive, collaborative mindset, with the confidence to challenge thinking and turn ideas into action.
• Knowledge of food regulatory requirements, quality standards and food safety.
• Motivation to learn and develop AI skills

About us

At Goodman Fielder, our purpose is Making everyday food better for everyone. We’re behind some of New Zealand’s most loved brands, including Meadow Fresh, Puhoi Valley, Vogel’s, Molenberg, Nature’s Fresh, Edmonds and Freya’s.

Our teams are passionate about innovation, quality and creating products that make a difference in everyday life. Guided by our values — We Grow Together, We Keep Things Simple, We Get Stuff Done — we back our people to collaborate, learn and deliver great outcomes.

• Meaningful innovation: Take products from initial concept through to commercialisation.
• Iconic brands: Help shape the future of products enjoyed by New Zealanders every day.
• Cross‑functional exposure: Work alongside experienced teams across R&D, Marketing, Operations and Quality.
• Professional development: Share your expertise, develop your technical capability and support others to grow.
• A collaborative culture: Join a team that values fresh thinking, practical problem‑solving and getting things done.

Ready to bring your next great dairy product to life?