NPD Technologist
Hays · Newtownards, Northern Ireland ·
Overview In this NPD Technologist role, you will help develop new and existing food products from concept to launch within a fast-paced innovation team. You'll blend culinary expertise with product development to deliver recipes, conduct kitchen trials, and support specification and cost optimisation.
The role contributes to sustainable growth through exciting food concepts and continuous improvement, collaborating with internal teams to meet customer, process, and safety requirements. This is a hands-on opportunity to shape products across the full development lifecycle in a collaborative, learning-focused environment.
Pay / Benefits career development opportunities hands-on involvement in full lifecycle of products exposure to recipes, trials, and new concepts Mon-Fri 9:00–17:00 with flexibility supportive team environment competitive salary and long-term progression Responsibilities Support development of new and existing products from concept to commercial launch Lead recipe development, kitchen sample preparation, and bench-marking activities Coordinate ingredient sourcing, factory trials, and tastings with cross-functional teams Assist with specification preparation, product costing, and process optimisation Maintain accurate records through the development lifecycle Ensure compliance with customer expectations, process capabilities and legal requirements Key requirements Experience in NPD, food development or culinary/chef-based roles Food-related qualification (Degree/HND) or relevant industry experience Passion for food innovation and product creation Knowledge of food processing, HACCP and food safety principles Strong communication and interpersonal skills for cross-functional work Creative problem-solving with a continuous improvement mindset Strong organisational and project management skills Open to entry-level candidates with relevant culinary NPD experience and a willingness to learn strong communication cross-functional collaboration creative mindset recipe development kitchen trials ingredient sourcing