NPD Food Product Developer I

ASR Group is the world’s largest refiner and marketer of cane sugar, with an annual production capacity of more than 6 million tons of sugar. The company produces a full line of grocery, industrial, food service and specialty sweetener products. Across North America, ASR Group owns and operates six sugar refineries, located in Louisiana, New York, California, Maryland, Canada and Mexico. In Europe, the company owns and operates sugar refineries in England and Portugal. ASR Group also owns and operates mills in Mexico and Belize. The company’s brand portfolio includes the leading brands Domino, C&H, Redpath, Tate & Lyle, Lyle’s and Sidul.

Location

Thames Refinery Site 3 days a week, 2 days home based

OVERVIEW

Reporting to the Europe NPD Senior Scientist, the NPD Research Scientist I works within the New Product Development, New Packaging Development and Project Management Teams and supports new and existing product development projects. The role involves laboratory work, sample development, scale-up trials, and as such maintains the NPD Laboratory in compliance with GMP rules and regulations.

DETAILED ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support scale-up Product trials
• Work with Research Scientist 2 and Senior Scientist to support trial planning by completing and circulating trial request forms, booking time in manufacturing, and ordering trial materials for site quality and operational review.
• Attend and run industrial scale-up trials across sites in Europe (including co-packers), take measurements during the trial, coordinate inputs from other functions, and produce a final trial report for key stakeholders.
• Determine material and formulation costs for a given finished good.
• Produce bench scale samples to support product development assessments and reviews with internal stakeholders and external customers.
• Execute sensory and consumer testing - qualitative and quantitative.
• Perform analytical testing to support project work and factory technical support projects.
• Produce reports detailing methodology and conclusions/recommendations (including sensory testing, shelf life testing, and simple laboratory analysis such as moisture, pH, BRIX).
• Support Sales and Marketing by producing and sending customer samples on time.
• Maintain the laboratory and storerooms to appropriate hygiene and housekeeping standards.
• Maintain service/calibration records of all lab equipment, including training and repairs.
• Maintain stocks and inventory of critical raw materials and samples, including sample packaging.
• Create and maintain Lab SOPs and ensure documentation alignment with global NPD teams & R&T.
• Analyze problems, design experiments; collect samples and prepare products for testing and trial runs.
• Design and execute basic experiments to test hypotheses.
• Develop and implement experiments while preserving a safe and accident-free laboratory environment.

WORK EXPERIENCES

• Experience in product development at a junior level is preferred.
• Passion for new product development/design.
• Experience within the Food or FMCG Industry.
• Basic knowledge of food manufacturing, from ingredients & packaging materials to processing and production.
• Ability to interpret and evaluate data leading to decision making.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• “A” Level / HND / BTEC / Degree educated in a science/engineering subject (or in a food-related subject)
• Computer skills including MS Word and Excel, iLabber and SAP
• Some knowledge of product development and processes.
• Analytical Thinking & Decision Making – Identifies and understands trends and/or issues; connects data points through analysis to arrive at a logical conclusion.
• Effective Communication – Expresses ideas and information clearly and concisely by tailoring one's message to fit the interests and needs of the audience.
• Establishes Trust – Gains the confidence and faith of others through honest and forthcoming actions.
• Problem-Solving – Anticipates, evaluates, diagnoses, and resolves problems systematically.
• Results Orientation & Accountability – Takes accountability and drives actions to consistently achieve desired results.
• Teamwork & Collaboration – Fosters commitment to a common vision and shared values that promote cooperation.
• Adaptability/Flexibility – Maintains effectiveness in varying environments and with different tasks, responsibilities, and people.
• Continuous Improvement – Utilizes specialized techniques to monitor and improve performance of systems and processes.
• Self-Development – Seeks feedback on strengths and weaknesses to enhance knowledge, skills, and proficiency.

At Tate & Lyle Sugars, our goal is to be the most admired sweetener Company.

Service Excellence - Be the industry's Gold Standard by a relentless focus on reliability, providing products with superior quality and excellent customer services.Efficiency and Sustainability - Eliminate inefficiency to be a sustainable, low-cost producer and generate fuel for reinvestment.Value-Add - Create strategic advantage and enhanced profitability through value-added products and services. The foundation of our values isTalent and Culture as we aim to build, retain and motivate a winning team.