Food Development Technologist

We have a fantastic opportunity to join the In House Development team at Greggs as Food Development Technologist.

Reporting to the Senior In-House Development Manager, the Food Development Technologist will play an important role in supporting the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) process, ensuring that the Greggs in-house development function operates in full compliance with all requirements.

This is a hands-on, kitchen-based role, ideal for someone with strong practical skills and a passion for food innovation. You will primarily focus on the sweet bakery category, while also contributing to other areas such as savoury baked goods and sandwich premixes

We can offer you:

• Management Bonus Scheme which is worth up to 10% of your salary
• Pension scheme with matching employer contributions up to 7%
• Colleague discount, up to 50% off our own-produced products
• Profit share - We want everyone to share in the success of the business, so we distribute 10% of our profits to all our colleagues who have at least 6-month service, or more, each year
• 25 days (5 weeks) annual leave, pro-rated, increasing with service (in addition to bank holidays), plus 1 additional floating day
• The opportunity to purchase additional annual leave twice a year
• Colleague share plans, giving you the opportunity to save and invest in Greggs, with the chance to buy Greggs shares at a discounted rate
• Private Medical Insurance which is free for you and subsidised for your dependants
• Income Protection should you become unable to work due to long-term sickness
• Death in service benefit which provides a lump-sum payment equal to 4 times your year's salary
• Virtual GP, Physiotherapy and Lifestyle Consultations - we provide access to a fantastic total wellbeing app for you and your family
• Employee Assistance Programme - we provide all colleagues with access to an EAP helpline providing mental health support as well as financial and legal support

About the role

• This is a full-time role, however flexibility in this will be considered
• We know that having a work-life balance is important, so we offer our colleagues as much flexibility as possible in line with the needs of their role
• The base location for this role is Greggs, Balliol Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne

What you'll do

You’ll be responsible for supporting the development of new products while continuously improving existing ranges. This includes reviewing and refining formulations across in-house technology platforms to enhance product quality, efficiency, and consistency. You will also assess ingredients to identify suitable alternatives where supply risks exist, or ingredients are no longer available.

A key focus of this role, alongside NPD, is EPD, supporting product quality improvements, ingredient functionality changes, and overall product enhancements. You will also conduct packaging assessments to optimise product quality and extend shelf life from both bakery and retail perspectives, as well as support product taste panels.

Alongside this, you’ll contribute to developing innovative in-house product concepts that can be effectively translated onto our existing technology platforms, supporting future growth opportunities.

You will also:

• Generate product specifications, costings, and nutritional calculations for new concepts and product changes
• Support, organise and manage relevant product benchmarking sessions
• Support the reformulation of existing products to improve margin while maintaining or enhancing quality, shelf life, and operational efficiency
• Work collaboratively within the PLM process to deliver products from concept through to launch

About you

We’re looking for someone who is enthusiastic, creative, and ready to develop their career in food innovation. You’ll thrive in a fast-paced environment and enjoy working both independently and as part of a team.

You’ll be a great fit for this role if you:

• Hold a degree in Food Science and have at least 2 years’ experience in food product development, or a proven history in product development.
• Demonstrate creativity and a flair for developing new and exciting food products
• Are confident using Microsoft Office applications
• Have an understanding of the product development lifecycle (concept to launch / PLM process)
• Have an understanding of how products translate from kitchen to mass manufacture.
• Can manage multiple tasks and meet challenging deadlines
• Have excellent communication and presentation skills
• Work in line with company values and demonstrate a positive, professional attitude
• Have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships at all levels
• Are highly organised, self-motivated, and able to use your own initiative under pressure
• Hold a full UK driving licence, as occasional travel will be required

About Greggs

Here at Greggs, we love what we do, and we have fun! What makes us so special is our culture - how we behave and support each other. Everyone's welcome at Greggs. Whatever their background, preferences or beliefs we want all of our colleagues to feel welcome and able to be themselves at work. You can read more about us here: Greggs Careers | About Greggs.