Existing Product Development Technologist
28 days ago
Coventry
Existing Product Development Technologist\n\nLocation: Coventry\n\nReporting to: Head of NPD\n\nSalary: up to £35k\n\nAbout the Role\n\nWe are looking for an Existing Product Development (EPD) Technologist to join our UK NPD team, primarily based at our Coventry site. This role is key to ensuring the ongoing success and optimisation of our existing product portfolio through cost-saving initiatives, product and process improvements, and operational robustness.\n\nYou will play a pivotal role in prioritising, planning and delivering EPD activities, working closely with cross-functional teams to ensure products meet target costs, quality standards, waste levels and operational requirements.\n\nKey Responsibilities\n\nAs an Existing Product Development Technologist, you will:\n\nWork collaboratively with NPD teams to ensure all EPD products are safe, robust, cost-effective and aligned with Gruma policies and target waste levels\nSupport cost-saving initiatives across procurement, decomplexity, contingency planning, tenders and ingredient changes\nProduce kitchen samples where required to evaluate ingredients prior to factory-scale trials\nSupport, organise and run factory trials, efficiently capturing all process data, settings, costs and outcomes\nComplete accurate trial documentation, including recommendations, conclusions and next steps\nRecord and track ingredient, laboratory and trial costs, sharing insights with Project Managers and Finance\nOrganise samples for nutritional, microbiological and organoleptic testing, customer requests and external laboratories\nCreate and maintain QAS documentation to ensure products are launched on time, to specification and within target cost\nCommunicate effectively with cross-functional European teams including Packaging, Operations, Technical, Purchasing, Planning and Engineering \n\nDecision-Making & Scope\n\nYou will have autonomy to make daily operational decisions, including:\n\nManaging the storage and labelling of development ingredients\nPlanning the order and approach of trial recipes to maximise efficiency\nLiaising with internal teams to resolve technical or operational challenges\nReviewing factory worksheets with Process Technologists and Project Managers to ensure methodologies are current\nSupporting wider NPD, Packaging and Procurement teams through innovative problem-solving during trialsThe role is primarily Coventry-based, with occasional support required at the Seaham site.\n\nKey Challenges\n\nDeveloping recipes that meet food safety, quality, cost and waste targets\nManaging multiple projects at pace in a dynamic NPD environment\nEnsuring existing SKUs perform effectively on current equipment\nCapturing and controlling all ingredient, trial and laboratory costs\nTaking existing products through the full factory trial lifecycle, from request to launch documentation\nIdentifying new ingredients or processes requiring HACCP review\nResolving defects, faults and operational issues in collaboration with cross-functional teams \n\nWhy Join Us?\n\nThis is an excellent opportunity to work in a hands-on, fast-paced product development role where your technical expertise will directly impact cost savings, product quality and operational success across the business