Product Designer (Food Development)

Location: On-site in Glenbervie, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom. Full-time, permanent role, Monday to Friday. Requires a full UK driving licence and occasional travel, including overnight stays.

Company

Family-owned ingredient manufacturer developing sauces, bakery ingredients, ice cream toppings, plant-based products, gluten-free products, and other food solutions for leading food brands.

What you will do

• Develop and formulate new and existing food products, primarily in powder and paste categories.
• Plan and coordinate product testing, factory trials, alternative test methodologies, and product launches.
• Create, cost, and maintain recipes using recipe development systems and IFS.
• Coordinate with R&D, Operations, Technical, Commercial, Purchasing, Planning, Stock Control, Production, and QC teams.
• Investigate product, process, and customer quality issues and support production troubleshooting.
• Prepare specifications, technical data, production and packing methods, QC information, and product standards.

Requirements

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Food Science, Chemistry, or another relevant scientific discipline.
• Demonstrable food-industry experience in Product Development and/or Research & Development, including recipe formulation, testing, and manufacturing trials.
• Strong technical knowledge of food chemistry, functional raw materials, legislation, and permitted usage levels.
• Knowledge of HACCP, food safety, quality systems, and standards.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organisational, communication, collaboration, and commercial skills.
• Permanent right to work in the UK without current or future visa sponsorship, plus a full UK driving licence.

Nice to have

• Experience in bakery and/or FMCG.
• Ability to influence others and demonstrate leadership capability.

Culture & Benefits

• 23 days of annual leave plus 9 public holidays.
• Conditional profit-related pay and pension enrolment with a 3% employer contribution.
• Employee Assistance Programme, 24/7 GP line, private medical insurance after probation, and health-related benefits.
• Cycle-to-work scheme, leisure subsidy, free parking, electric vehicle charging stations, and free fruit.
• Further education scheme, enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay, and employee education bursary.
• Additional life assurance and permanent health insurance benefits after probation.

Hiring process

• Successful candidates must complete right-to-work checks and provide satisfactory employment references.
• Applications close on 15 September 2026.