Senior Process Technologist – Food Manufacturing in Co Durham
As this dynamic, market-leading food business continues its successful growth journey, it has an opportunity for a Senior Process Technologist to join their busy NPD team, based in the region of Co Durham.
This role is the conduit between NPD, Quality and Manufacturing teams. You will support the NPD team and wider business upscaling recipes from the onsite kitchen to the factory, working cross-functionally on retailer briefs and business-driven projects.
The Senior Process Technologist pays close attention to the development, optimisation and validation of thermal processing (retort), ensuring food safety, product quality and regulatory compliance, as well as being involved in continuous improvement projects to improve efficiency, safety and quality of products.
Key Responsibilities
Carry out a feasibility study with key stakeholders on new product briefs.
Support the development and scale-up of new products, from kitchen to full scale production.
Monitor and optimise production processes to improve efficiency, reduce waste and maintain product quality.
Assist in the commissioning of new equipment or production lines.
Create and maintain process documentation, including trial reports, SOPs & production specifications.
Work with suppliers to ensure suitability of raw materials.
Support technical risk assessments and hazard analysis for new processes
Organise and attend factory trials and ensure output of the trial is documented and communicated to the business.
In depth knowledge of thermal processing to aid with development and factory trials.
Design, develop, and optimize thermal processing parameters for new and existing food products.
Conduct heat penetration and temperature distribution studies to validate thermal processes.
Ensure thermal processes meet food safety and shelf-life requirements, in compliance with local and international regulations.
Work closely with cross-functional teams to implement validated processes.
Work closely with cross-functional teams including NPD, Technical, Manufacturing, procurement & packaging.
Maintain and improve thermal processing documentation, including thermal process schedules and CCPs.
Conduct thermal process risk assessments and assist with HACCP plans.
Collaborate with regulatory and food safety teams to prepare documentation for audits and approvals.
Troubleshoot thermal processing issues and assist with equipment calibration and commissioning.
Keep up to date with technological developments in thermal processing.
Ensure nutritional claims & values are within target when upscaled to the factory.
Assist the Technical Dept. as and when required, including HACCP, ensuring allergen information, food safety legislations, food industry guidelines and retailer COP are maintained and up to date on an ongoing basis. Liaise with key stakeholders on customer visits for first production if required.
Liaise with different teams to organise cross-functional meetings.
Organise and conduct handover meeting for product launches to site’s key stakeholders.
Key Experience and Skills Required
Ideally, understanding of thermal process design, heat transfer, and microbiological safety with a food/beverages/or similar factory environment. if not, you will have a good level of experience of high volume/automated process, upscaling and trials experience within the food/beverages/or similar industry and a willingness to learn new processes.
An NPD background and/or a good level of food processing/manufacturing experience, including experience of factory trials and upscaling and working closely with the wider operational teams such as Quality, Engineering and Manufacturing.
Experience with thermal process validation tools (e.g., dataloggers, thermocouples, process authorities) would be highly beneficial.
Familiarity with food safety regulations and standards.
Strong data analysis skills.
Excellent documentation, problem-solving, and communication abilities.
Comfortable working in factory environments.
Please note, all applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are unable to progress any applications requiring Visa Sponsorship