Development Technologist Telford 2023

Muller offers you a long-term career with a genuine market leader; Muller is an entrepreneurial company where people love to work and make a difference. Our competitive advantage comes through driving value through innovation and brands, scale, operational excellence and building a high performing international organisation. By 2020, we aim to have significantly increased our turnover; in order to achieve this, we need leaders and technical experts to grow our business and market share.

We currently have a vacancy within the R&D Department at Muller Dairy based in Telford, Shropshire for a Development Technologist. You will manage product-based development projects from concept to launch and be responsible for R&D actions through project stages.

The ideal candidate will have either 2-3 years’ experience, or a competent fresh graduate with a food science, biological or chemistry degree looking for their first role.

Your key responsibilities:

• Develops new or adapts existing recipes, taking into consideration their knowledge of Quality and food safety, Food law, Food science, Sensory requirements, Nutrition targets, Ingredient functionality and Current recipes and Production processes.
• Prepare and present innovative concept samples to internal and external partners. Puts forward ideas for new products.
• Regularly works in the kitchen or the pilot plant area.
• Calculate nutrition table for new recipes, reviews figures against nutritional targets and adapts recipes where appropriate.

Understanding of industry and business

• Regularly keeps up to date with new products and competition in the UK market. Maintains awareness of key food trends and understands business and customer requirements and works to deliver projects to meet these requirements.

Trials

• Plan organise and control scale up trials, through effective communication with planning and production personnel.
• Organise and carry out appropriate product testing, e.g., shelf-life testing, organoleptic assessment, nutrition. Carries out shelf-life studies.
• Produce clear and complete trial reports. Complete due diligence documentation. Maintain any NPD documentation or records in an orderly manner.
• Complete handover of all relevant documentation and formulations to production personnel and assists with first productions. Assist with training of relevant production personnel on any new processes or parameters involved in a new product launch.

Raw materials / Quality & Food safety

• Source new ingredients that are fit for purpose. Follow the Muller new raw material process to gain approval of ingredients and set up on IT systems.
• Builds relationships with supply base of product category.
• Able to write a clear and concise brief to suppliers, taking into consideration the cost in use target.
• Understands HACCP principles.
• Ensure all development work is undertaken safely and considers requirements of all relevant legislation, Muller Codes of Practice, retailer policies (if applicable) and brand guidelines.
• Contribute to food safety risk assessments through the NPD process.
• Able to put together an ingredient declaration and nutritional table (e.g., composite products/nutritional claims)
• Knowledge of the food legislation relevant to their role. Able to check artwork of finished products if required for their role, taking into consideration all the relevant legislation and policies.

Project management

• Delivers projects on time to plan. Understands all stages of the Muller stage gate process - PEP (Product Evolution Process), R&D's role within it and the timescales associated.
• Contribute to project timeline creation.
• Complete recipe costings with finance team when required throughout the project.
• Attend project meetings. Escalate risks and issues to project manager. Contribute to problem solving activities where issues or risks arise.
• Update key stakeholders with progress on key milestones and any deviations.
• Contribute to project feasibility studies.

Skills and knowledge

• Knowledge of dairy science and processing.
• Basic nutrition knowledge with a passion for food.
• Experience in developing dairy products is desirable.
• Computer literate, including MS Office associated packages (particularly Excel).
• Can demonstrate good problem-solving skills. Knowledge of problem-solving techniques or tools is desirable.
• Analytical / numerical skills (ability to understand equations / complex mathematical items).
• Demonstrates experience in creative product development.
• BSc / MSc in food Science / Science / Dairy Technology or corresponding degree level
• High level of self-motivation, shows initiative
• Inquisitive and creative, assertive and challenging
• Effective team player
• Effective time management skills (effective prioritisation and management of multiple projects)
• Full UK driving licence required (travel to other sites/third party co-packers will be required from time to time).