NPD Technologist

Job Information

Job Title: NPD Technologist

Department: NPD

Reports To: NPD Manager

Location: Salisbury House, Vulcan Road, Bilston, WV14 7HT

Overview

The New Product Development (NPD) Technologist plays a key role in supporting the development and control of new products from concept to launch. This role involves working closely with cross functional teams, including production, procurement, sales, and Technical, to ensure new products meet customer needs and company standards. The NPD Technologist will develop new products that align with product trends and factory capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Complete assigned projects and tasks in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to support multiple projects and achieve team objectives.
• Keep up to date with global trends, restaurant trends and retailers launches, researching current consumer markets and latest technologies (including ingredients and packaging) to develop new product concepts.
• Develop and prepare products to agreed project briefs and present for internal approval and submission to customers.
• Recipe design and development through kitchen prototypes, driving and refining recipes and flavour profiles.
• Select, arrange and approve raw materials and other ingredients from suppliers.
• Source new raw materials with purchasing and technical ensuring appropriate supplier approval, raw material specification and presence of any allergens.
• Assist in testing and validation during the launch of new products, including but not limited to: cooking instructions and nutritional values, organoleptic testing over life, compliance with labelling regulations, generation of customer specifications and internal specifications with sign-off, generation of customer-specific and internal quality standards (QAS) with sign-off, and verification that product quality meets customer specifications.
• Run internal benchmarking sessions and conduct sensory evaluations to optimise for taste, texture and appearance.
• Coordinate factory trials for new products and process innovation.
• Ensure smooth transition of new concepts and related processes through to manufacture by following the NPD process, maintaining detailed project documentation, and ensuring repeatability for safety and due diligence.

Measurable Outputs

• KPI's to be agreed.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Proven experience in product development within the food manufacturing industry (minimum 2-3 years), ideally within the poultry/chilled sector and a demanding customer-based environment.
• A high passion and interest for food and flavours with an open approach to innovation, processes and concepts.
• A genuine interest in science and how it is applied to NPD.
• Good time management and organisational skills with the ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Good communication skills to effectively interact with teammates, other departments, suppliers and customers.
• Ability to identify problems and escalate with proposed solutions.
• Accuracy and high attention to detail.
• Good computer skills including Word and Excel processing.
• Ability to work in an open and honest manner at all times.
• Ability to work on own initiative and within a team; work without supervision.
• Flexibility with hours; driven and fully committed.

Desirable

• Degree in Food Science, Nutrition or Science.
• Culinary background / experience.

Health and Safety

• Take reasonable care of the Health and Safety of yourself and others who may be affected by your actions.
• Work in a safe manner and observe company Health and Safety Rules and Procedures.
• Report incidents to Line Manager and cooperate to achieve a healthy and safe workplace.
• Report injuries promptly and obtain first aid when necessary.
• Comply with safe systems of work and site Food Standards.