Existing Product Development Technologist
Location: Coventry
Reporting to: Head of NPD
Salary: up to £35k
About the Role
We are looking for an Existing Product Development (EPD) Technologist to join our UK NPD team, primarily based at our Coventry site. This role is key to ensuring the ongoing success and optimisation of our existing product portfolio through cost-saving initiatives, product and process improvements, and operational robustness.
You will play a pivotal role in prioritising, planning and delivering EPD activities, working closely with cross-functional teams to ensure products meet target costs, quality standards, waste levels and operational requirements.
Key Responsibilities
As an Existing Product Development Technologist, you will:
Work collaboratively with NPD teams to ensure all EPD products are safe, robust, cost-effective and aligned with Gruma policies and target waste levels
Support cost-saving initiatives across procurement, decomplexity, contingency planning, tenders and ingredient changes
Produce kitchen samples where required to evaluate ingredients prior to factory-scale trials
Support, organise and run factory trials, efficiently capturing all process data, settings, costs and outcomes
Complete accurate trial documentation, including recommendations, conclusions and next steps
Record and track ingredient, laboratory and trial costs, sharing insights with Project Managers and Finance
Organise samples for nutritional, microbiological and organoleptic testing, customer requests and external laboratories
Create and maintain QAS documentation to ensure products are launched on time, to specification and within target cost
Communicate effectively with cross-functional European teams including Packaging, Operations, Technical, Purchasing, Planning and Engineering
Decision-Making & Scope
You will have autonomy to make daily operational decisions, including:
Managing the storage and labelling of development ingredients
Planning the order and approach of trial recipes to maximise efficiency
Liaising with internal teams to resolve technical or operational challenges
Reviewing factory worksheets with Process Technologists and Project Managers to ensure methodologies are current
Supporting wider NPD, Packaging and Procurement teams through innovative problem-solving during trialsThe role is primarily Coventry-based, with occasional support required at the Seaham site.
Key Challenges
Developing recipes that meet food safety, quality, cost and waste targets
Managing multiple projects at pace in a dynamic NPD environment
Ensuring existing SKUs perform effectively on current equipment
Capturing and controlling all ingredient, trial and laboratory costs
Taking existing products through the full factory trial lifecycle, from request to launch documentation
Identifying new ingredients or processes requiring HACCP review
Resolving defects, faults and operational issues in collaboration with cross-functional teams
Why Join Us?
This is an excellent opportunity to work in a hands-on, fast-paced product development role where your technical expertise will directly impact cost savings, product quality and operational success across the business