Placement Student

We are a dynamic and innovative dairy farmer co-operative based in the UK, committed to supplying fresh milk to over 1200 dairy farmers. Our operations span the UK and Ireland, producing and distributing a wide range of dairy products that we sell across these regions as well as export to over 45 countries worldwide.

As a forward-thinking organization, we offer a diverse range of career opportunities in various disciplines, from production and engineering to sales and marketing, food technology, quality assurance, finance, human resources, and information technology. Our fast-paced environment is characterized by a high degree of responsibility, ample challenges, excellent opportunities for learning and personal development, and attractive benefit packages.

Job Title: Placement Student - NPD

We are seeking a talented and enthusiastic individual to join our team as a Placement Student in New Product Development (NPD). This role involves delivering product development and process improvement projects, including new product and process concepts, taste and texture enhancements, new ingredients, and recipe improvements to deliver customer and consumer perceived value and competitive advantage.

• You will proactively develop new concepts and products and react to customer product briefs, liaising with marketing, commercial, and other internal departments, as well as external customer contacts.
• Deliver improvements to existing products and processes in areas such as cost, ingredients, formulation, shelf life, and process improvement, with a focus on cheese processing and performance improvement projects.
• You will be responsible for making up samples, maintaining development lab facilities, conducting or overseeing production trials as necessary, and completing product tests using various equipment and analyzing data.
• Play a key role in artwork approval for branded and own-label packaging for new products, ensuring all pack copy information complies with current legislation.
• Manage routine product compliance testing.
• Stay updated with food, nutrition, and labeling legislation to ensure process and product compliance. Work proactively with ingredient and packaging suppliers to identify and complete improvements.
• Stay informed about technical and product developments within the dairy industry, providing technical support and interventions for continuous improvements through analysis, investigation, and benchmarking exercises.

Requirements

• Candidates must be currently completing a degree or equivalent in food science/technology or a related discipline.
• The ideal candidate will be creative, self-motivated, results-oriented, and possess the drive and flexibility to succeed in a fast-paced environment.