Graduate test engineer in food innovation and process

About One Good Thing (OGT)

We are shaking up the food industry with the world’s first wrapper‑free energy bars. Our proprietary beeswax‑based coating provides the benefits of plastic packaging without the waste, applied with unique manufacturing machinery. We are a fast‑growing startup looking for passionate, high‑energy individuals who take pride in their work and thrive on solving original product challenges.

Location

Hitchin, Hertfordshire (On‑site)

Reports To

CTO (Jeremy Lambert)

The Role

We are seeking a hands‑on, proactive graduate engineer to support our engineering and NPD projects. You will be responsible for running critical tests on our edible coatings, analysing samples, trialling innovative technologies, and validating new product recipes. This is not a typical “white coat” lab role; you will work in our engineering workshop/lab, operating machinery and bridging the gap between food science and process engineering. You will be joining OGT at a period of growth and this is an excellent opportunity to make a real impact in our success.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute comprehensive tests of coatings on food products, including liquid preparation and optimising process application parameters.
• Improve the formulation of our coatings to stretch our targets (shelf life, etc.).
• Use microscopy and other analytical tools to evaluate coating integrity, thickness, and distribution.
• Organise and manage testing with external laboratories for shelf‑life, allergen, and bacterial analysis.
• Take responsibility for validating New Product Development (NPD) recipes from a process point of view, ensuring SOPs are followed while proactively developing more optimized validation methods.
• Help validate and calibrate existing machines to ensure they perform accurately with new product formulations.
• Write clear, detailed test reports to inform engineering decisions and project progress.

Who You Are

Mission‑Driven & Ambitious – You’re excited by our unique wrapper‑free product and see its original challenges as an innovation playground. The Inquisitive Maker – You don’t just accept the status quo; you ask “why?” and take the initiative to solve problems before being asked. High Standards & Pride – Whether running a test sequence or writing an email, you care about excellence. You know that in production, detail equals safety and quality. Reliable & Optimistic – You’re a “glass‑half‑full” teammate who balances a positive attitude with the honesty needed to maintain high performance. Adaptable Maturity – As we scale, we need your support to build structure. You bring the discipline and maturity to help define our future ways of working.

Culture & The "OGT Way"

• One Team: We have a “muck‑in” culture. On any given day, you might see an engineer helping production—we win and lose as one team.
• Drive & Delivery: We aren’t a standard 9‑to‑5. We value speed and delivery, looking for people who stay until the job is done and proactively seek the next challenge.
• In‑Person Collaboration: We are an “in‑person” team because we believe camaraderie and quick problem‑solving happen best together in the workshop.
• Growth & Acceleration: This is for those who want to move fast. We want people willing to work hard to achieve shared success and grow their careers.

Education, Qualifications & Experience

We are looking for either a motivated Graduate (Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Material Science) or an experienced Technician with a strong track record in food R&D.

Experience

Previous experience in a food lab, pilot plant, or manufacturing environment is highly desirable.

Skills

• Proficiency in using microscopy, basic lab tools, and traditional industrial pieces of equipment.
• Willingness to learn technical software (e.g., Jira for task management).