R&I Development Technologist (NPD)
Location: Andover, England, United Kingdom
Department: New Product Development
Application Deadline: 9 January 2026
Employment type: Contract
Seniority level: Executive
Job function: Research, Analyst, and Information Technology
Industry: Food and Beverage Services
Job Overview
Do you want to help shape the future of tea at Twinings? The aim of the Research and Development Team is to drive commercial growth by creating amazing Consumer Product Experiences in wellbeing beverages. We achieve this by driving competitive advantage through collaboration across our technical community.
The R&I Development Technologist will lead the development workstream of new product development projects, working collaboratively to create product briefs and develop consumer-delighting blends, guiding them from concept through to launch. You will play a key role in blend development, full technical readiness, and product development trials. The role also involves supporting cost optimisation initiatives, introducing new ingredients and innovative approaches, and contributing to day‑to‑day laboratory activities.
Key Responsibilities
Product Development & Delivery
* Development (18‑24 time frame) and delivery of new products that delight consumers and meet success criteria (Minimum viable product (MVP), KQAs, KPIs, CoGs, regulation) through exploration, lab development and factory implementation.
* Custodian of product promise: drives clarity on KQA and MVP/desired during scoping/feasibility and proposes options for delivering MVP.
* Lab scale creation of products using materials, such as teas, herbs, flavours, wellbeing ingredients to deliver at least MVP of product brief.
* Completes assessment of prospective new raw materials and blends; factory runnability testing, COSHH assessment and shelf‑life testing.
* Identify risks and mitigations, to successful project completion, in collaboration with the project team.
* Support technical activities for NPD, cost innovations and process optimisation projects.
* Strong personal and technical leadership to ensure that assigned projects are completed within schedule and budget, executed with excellence and fully compliant with quality, food safety and regulatory requirements.
* Support creation and create compelling stories celebrating development blends to strengthen consumer product experience.
* Personal ownership of GMP and H&S standards. And supports team in maintaining these standards.
* Sample making and support lab stock management.
Governance & Compliance
* Work closely with internal stakeholders including raw material sourcing, quality, ethical and regulatory teams to ensure ingredients and products meet the correct standards in terms of quality and commercial considerations.
* Collaborates to assess market compliance, suitability for brand standards and suitability for on‑pack claims.
* Request specifications for new ingredients and check specifications against project needs.
Innovation Behaviours & Ways of Working
* Develop and maintain a strong knowledge of product development, ingredient functionality, blending, production and process techniques.
* Role model Twinings Innovation Behaviours.
* Identify opportunities to drive greater efficiency/ agility in NPD development and delivery and propose solutions.
* ‘Bring the outside in’ so Twinings and specifically Near Term Innovation projects can benefit real‑time from latest NPD, process, ingredient and innovation thinking.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
* 2+ years’ experience working within an R&D environment as an NPD or R&D Technologist or similar. Preferably within Food and Beverages / FMCG.
* Demonstratable experience of working in product development and utilising specifications systems.
* Education at least to degree level, in a scientific discipline with food industry experience.
* Level 2 Food Safety or good understanding of food safety as well as basic scientific techniques and good scientific practice.
* Experience working with herbal ingredients/food/beverage raw materials desirable as well as knowledge and interest in tea/herbal infusions & food/flavours with good sensory acuity.
* Clear communicator with an ability to engage and influence a wide range of internal stakeholders to deliver new products to market at the right pace, without neglecting quality and safety standards.
* Strong technical rigour and organisation skills with demonstrated excellent attention to detail.
* Natural collaborator – happy to work both independently and as part of a team.
* Thinks differently, challenging conventional thinking to create the future and overcome barriers. Curious, questioning and always looking ahead and outside.
Benefits
* Yearly bonus based on personal contribution and financial performance.
* 25 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays and the option to buy and sell holidays.
* Onsite Gym and Wellbeing Centre.
* Perkbox – employee discount scheme with discounts online, in high street stores, cinema, holidays, restaurants and many more.
* Pension scheme with your contributions matched for up to 10% of your salary.
* Cycle to work scheme.
* SimplyHealth Cash plan.
* Onsite Staff shop and online staff discounts.
* Electric Car Scheme.
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