Group R&D Technologist

K.A.G. Recruitment have been instructed to support our client, one of the largest Private Label Petfood producers in Europe supplying quality pet products to the major supermarket and retail chains to recruit several Group R&D Technologists to join their existing team in Edgeworthstown.
Job Title: Group R&D Technologist
Location: Edgeworthstown
Salary: 29,000 Euros - 35,000 Euros DOE
Hours: 9.15 to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 9.15 to 4.30pm on Friday
Purpose Of The Role:
The Group R&D Technologist is a key member of the Group R&D Team, and they are primarily responsible for assisting / Supporting with Pet food development projects in different wet formats i.e pouch, can alu trays across EU/UK customer portfolio.
Duties:

• Involved in the development of new products, from initial concept to plant approval. Providing in-depth reports on trials that accurately reflect the work carried out including all required measurements, ingredients, standard operating procedures, recommended actions and next steps
• Responsible for the modification of existing products at the request of, and in consultation with customers and the technical, production, purchasing and commercial functions.
• Identifying any critical issues with developments, make recommendations for improvements and ensure that everything complies with quality, safety and customer expectations.
• Coordination and management of product requests initiated by sales, purchasing, production and quality.
• Involved in the input of recipe formulations across all sites.
• Works closely with Sales & Marketing functions to deliver customer support and satisfaction.
• Respond to customer queries. These queries can be in relation to nutritional, analytical etc.
• Support customer visits to all the production sites/offices.
• This includes organising full product presentations and paperwork from this site and co coordinating samples, paperwork from all other sites.
• Participate in customer and other technical audits.
• Knowledge of brand and competitors products in the marketplace.
• Preparation of customer specification, pack copies, QAS and any other relevant customer documentation.
• Ensure all packaging is developed in line with relevant legislation, codes of practice, and specific customer requirements.
• Travel to support other group sites when required.

You will ideally be educated to degree level in a Food or Animal Science related discipline with commercial experience from within a Food Manufacturing environment, experience with pet foods would be highly advantageous. An excellent communicator who has problem-solving abilities and the capability to work to deadlines within a rapidly changing environment.
You will have an investigative mindset with Food science and nutritional awareness, both from a legislative, regulatory and best practice perspective i.e. food safety, hygiene, nutritional requirements.