Please apply via this link - https://uk.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=766419504d5bd82e&from=shareddesktop_copy
About Us:
Meadow collaborates with leading food manufacturers worldwide, addressing their intricate needs and solving complex challenges. From maintaining a secure and stable supply base to producing bespoke ingredients at scale, ensuring supply traceability, and pioneering sustainable futures, we are committed to excellence.
The Role:
The Senior NPD Technologist for Meadow Inclusions will be responsible for leading the development and successful implementation of innovative inclusion products, including chocolate pieces, fat-based coatings, and cooked inclusions such as fudge, caramel, and honeycomb. This role supports both proactive innovation and customer-driven development projects.
The role involves working cross-functionally to deliver kitchen samples, scale recipes for factory production, and manage the NPD aspects of the stage gate process. The Senior Technologist will also maintain strong relationships with key customers, suppliers, and internal teams including Production, Technical, and Commercial.
The post-holder will take full ownership of the inclusion development process, ensuring alignment with the NPD Manager, emerging market trends, and operational capabilities. Their expertise will be key in expanding the inclusions range, enhancing existing formulations, and driving innovation in flavour, texture, and visual appeal.
This is a hands-on, collaborative role that bridges concept development with production delivery to bring high-quality, distinctive inclusions to market.
Key Accountabilities:
Process Development & Scale-Up
- Lead development and optimisation of manufacturing processes for chocolate-coated, fat-coated, and line-cooked inclusions.
- Plan and support factory trials for all new and modified products, capturing detailed process data and driving continuous improvement.
- Translate kitchen-scale samples into robust, scalable factory processes with clear technical documentation.
Stage Gate & Project Support
- In partnership with the NPD Manager ensuring stage gate is followed from concept through to launch for all projects.
- Collaborate with Commercial and Operational teams to ensure technical feasibility, risk management, and process validation.
- Document process parameters, trial findings, and key learnings to support smooth handover into operations.
Sample Development & Kitchen Work
- Develop high-quality kitchen samples of cooked inclusions and coated products in response to customer briefs and proactive innovation ideas.
- Optimise texture, stability, shelf life, and sensory properties for coated and cooked inclusions.
- Support in customer communication and management of samples.
Customer & Commercial Support
- Act as the main point of contact for select customers- managing all aspects of their project, responding to queries, and supporting trials.
- Provide technical input to commercial teams during pitches, feasibility assessments, and sample submission stages.
- Support co-manufacturers and supplier partners as needed to ensure consistent process delivery and quality.
Innovation & Ideation
- Interpret customer briefs and translate them into commercially viable prototypes.
- Support proactive development of new aligned with trends and category insights.
- Work closely with insights, commercial, and marketing teams to generate ideas and validate concepts through prototyping.
- Maintain awareness of new technologies in fat systems, sugar cookery, and ingredient functionality relevant to inclusions.
Technical Support & Continuous Improvement
- Identify and lead process improvements for yield, efficiency, product consistency, and quality enhancement.
- Troubleshoot issues across cooking systems, enrobing lines, cooling tunnels, and coating equipment.
- Contribute to internal knowledge sharing, mentoring junior technologists, and maintaining best practice documentation.
Role Requirements:
- Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a relevant discipline.
- 4+ years’ experience in food manufacturing or product development, ideally with hands-on knowledge of chocolate/fat coating, sugar cooking, and inclusions.
- Experience with fudge, caramel, honeycomb, brittle, or similar sugar-based systems.
- Working knowledge of enrobing, coating, cooling, and mixing equipment.
- Strong process and project management capabilities.
- Comfortable operating across kitchen, pilot, and production environments.
- Excellent communication skills and commercial awareness.
- Able to work independently, prioritise multiple projects, and collaborate across functions.
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £38,000.00-£45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Canteen
- Company pension
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Free parking
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
Application question(s):
- Do you have the right to work in the UK?
- Do you live within a 1 hour commute of Dolgellau?
Experience:
- food manufacturing or product development: 4 years (preferred)
Work Location: In person
