Npd Technologist

PrepWorld is looking for an NPD Technologist - the link between the product development kitchen and the production line, with responsibility for making sure that new and existing re-development products make a smooth transition from trial and testing stages to industrialisation of factory trials, meeting the customer requirements for shelf-life, commercial targets, and consistency. You will lead projects relating to R&D (Research and Development) in the business.

You will ensure the factory production trials runs take place with the outcomes reported to all relevant staff. You will identify any critical issues, come with recommendations for improvements, measure yield and make sure that everything complies with quality, safety and customer expectations.

You will be involved in buying and trialing out new process equipment either in support of a new product launch or to make an improvement to current production processes.

**Main Duties**:

- Ensuring all NPD related work meets in-house and customer standards for quality and safety. Ensuring procedures required for all recipes are developed to meet current manufacturing quality standards
- Understanding of customer codes of practice relating to food safety
- Developing practical schedules for work relating to product launches
- Liaise with Packaging, Technical, Production, Planning and Procurement on arranging for availability of all components for industrialisation of factory trials
- Contacting with external stakeholders to source tools required for projects
- Full Investigation of new raw materials as required. Conducting the processing capacity of new raw material and development of the production process required
- Lead R&D projects supporting NPD & Innovation across the business
- Understanding company production processes and spotting opportunities for improvement in recipe design to of new products at early development stages
- Planning and implementing of production trials with new packaging or raw material. Organoleptic shelf-life assessment for raw material and quality assessment of all products including use of new packaging
- Generating Micro validation reports for new products sending reports directly to customer
- Liaise with Finance, Production & Sales team to ensure all new ingredients and processes products are costed thoroughly after production trials and prior to full production
- Making sure all relevant documents are in place prior to factory trials (HACCP form, work instruction relating to new fruit processes etc)
- Confirmation of Perforation requirements for each line to Packaging Team
- Liaising with courier collections and confirmation of delivery
- Organisation and delivery of product samples relating to customer sign off to factory standards
- Scheduling the production, management and delivery of product samples relating customer panel samples to factory standards
- Scheduling the production, management and delivery of product samples relating to customer transit trials
- Provide an internal technical handover from NPD to customer technical
- Attending the weekly NPD meetings
- Facilitating customer visits during production trials
- Providing Yammer updates on NPD related topics

**Who we are looking for**:

- Level 3 Food Safety
- Level 3 HACCP
- Awareness in Microbiology
- An externally recognised internal auditing qualification
- Previous Technical experience of FMCG food related manufacturing operations.
- Ability to interact with high profile customers
- Awareness of Health and Safety issues and how they interact with their team

**What we provide in return**:

- Medicash (allowances to cover costs such as dental and optical bills, physiotherapy, alternative therapies, and even consultancy charges - available for employees and their families)
- Wagestream (track your earnings and instantly access up to 50% of your money as you earn it, without waiting for payday)
- On site parking with electric charge points
- Fully paid for, Staff events
- On site staff restaurant serving heavily subsidised hot and cold food
- Fruit pots on Wednesdays
- Brand new facilities
- A supportive team

**Days and hours of work**:
Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 17:00 with 1 hour unpaid break (40h p/w)

**Salary**:
£27,000 - £30,000 DOE

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

**Salary**: £27,000.00-£30,000.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Canteen
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Private dental insurance
- Private medical insurance
- Referral programme
- Sick pay

Schedule:

- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday

Supplemental pay types:

- Yearly bonus

Ability to commute/relocate:

- Gravesend: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Application question(s):
**Education**:

- Diploma of Higher Education (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

- Level 3 Food Safety (preferred)
- Level 3 HACCP (preferred)

Work authorisation:

- United Kingdom (