Senior Product Development Technologist

Senior Product Development Technologist

Midrand, RSA

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Product Development: Execute optimization, new product development and cost reduction projects; proactively or in response to Customer Briefs; from Brief to Launch phase On Time In Full (OTIF).
2. Project Management: Manage projects from concept to launch phase, ensuring that the appropriate resources (sensory, research, regulatory, commercial, consumer insights, production and QA) are coordinated to ensure that the action standards of the brief are met and completed successfully. Provide project and technical updates to support Commercialization to track NPD from concept to launch phase; via the Project Tracker.
3. Customer Interaction: Participate in problem solving activities with customers to unlock technical solutions. Provide active support in the introduction of new products at Customer facilities. Interact with Customers to provide them with technical expertise to accelerate the business’ Customer Intimacy Strategy.
4. Administrative Activities: Input formulation development data into SAP RD to ensure development traceability and formulation costing; to allow historic data retrieval. Provide formulation inputs to Finance for costing and pricing purposes. Compile HACCP approvals, Ingredient Listings and Nutritional Information to allow QA and Regulatory to facilitate Product Specifications and sign off Safety requirements.
5. Sensory Evaluation to support NPD: Participate in internal Sensory Evaluation activities to develop a strong awareness of the sensory attributes of new products and raw materials. Coordinate internal evaluations of newly developed products to ascertain required modifications.
6. Inter-Functional Support: Actively support Supply Chain and QA with technical know-how on NPDs and current product quality maintenance where necessary. Support Product and Process Implementation (PPI) to execute internal and external trial related activities and monitoring of first production runs. Collaborate with Consumer Insights to ensure developed concepts and NPDs conform to current Market Insights and trends. Partner with Sensory Team to maintain ways of working that will guide sensory, shelf-life and consumer research protocols for optimal product development.
7. General Support: It may be required from the Senior PDT to complete more general tasks from time to time to support the general business as appropriate.
8. External Orientation: Interact with Suppliers and the Industry, through workshops/seminar attendance, to ensure latest trends and technologies are incorporated into development activities.
9. Resource Management: Dynamically manage resources within sub-team. Contribute towards continuous improvement of company standards for administration, Health & Safety, GMP and housekeeping in the work environment. Support Raw Materials Technologist(s) with evaluation of new/alternative raw materials.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

• Education: Diploma/ B-Tech Degree - Food Technology, Biotechnology, B. Sc - Food Science or equivalent qualification
• Experience: around 5 years of product development experience within an FMGC environment
• Team Player – ability to interact cross-functionally
• Self-starter – ability to initiate without being prompted
• Self-motivating – taking ownership and accountability
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to manage competing priorities
• Highly adaptable to change
• Good communication skills – ability to present to internal and external stakeholders
• High Intellectual curiosity – research oriented
• Ability to develop customer relationships and maintain customer intimacy
• Attention to detail

As an Equal Opportunities employer, McCormick is committed to a diverse workforce.