At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead cooking performance testing and optimise products for real kitchens.
- Company: Join a dynamic team at the forefront of culinary innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hands-on experience, and a chance to shape product development.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for growth and creativity.
- Why this job: Blend your culinary skills with product innovation and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Degree in Home Economics or related field; strong cooking and analytical skills.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 € per year.
Are you passionate about food, cooking, and product innovation? Do you love combining culinary expertise with hands‑on testing and real consumer insight? We’re looking for a Product Development Home Economist to join our client, playing a key role in shaping the future of their product range. Working closely with Engineering and Product teams, you’ll lead cooking performance testing, validation, and optimisation, ensuring our products deliver outstanding results in real kitchens.
This is a unique opportunity to blend culinary skills, food science, and product development, helping to create appliances that are intuitive, high‑performing, and truly consumer‑focused.
As The Product Development Home Economist, You Will:
- Act as the subject matter expert for cooking performance, influencing product decisions from concept through to launch.
- Design and execute structured test plans, protocols, and validation processes aligned with development milestones.
- Carry out hands‑on cooking trials and appliance testing on prototypes and pre‑production models.
- Analyse test results and translate findings into clear, actionable recommendations to improve performance and usability.
- Stay ahead of consumer trends, cooking behaviours, and competitor products, feeding insights into product innovation.
- Own and manage the test kitchen/lab environment, ensuring it is safe, organised, and optimised for repeatable testing.
- Produce high‑quality reports and presentations to support product sign‑off and stakeholder decision‑making.
- Collaborate cross‑functionally with Engineering, Product, and Customer teams in a fast‑paced environment.
- Support customer experience initiatives, including troubleshooting, aftercare insights, and usage guidance.
What We’re Looking For:
- Degree in Home Economics, Food Science, Culinary Arts, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience).
- Strong practical cooking skills with experience designing and running repeatable cooking trials.
- Ability to interpret data, identify trends, and solve problems, turning insights into tangible product improvements.
- Excellent written communication and documentation skills.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- A proactive, self‑starting mindset with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
- Strong understanding of consumer cooking behaviours and appliance usage.
- Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel.
Desirable Experience:
- Experience in product development, appliance testing, or white goods.
- Background in food innovation, culinary development, or kitchen lab environments.
- Experience creating user guides, cooking instructions, FAQs, or training materials.
- Knowledge of test method development, repeatability studies, and protocol optimisation.
- Previous experience as a Product Development Home Economist or similar.
Why Join?
- Be at the forefront of culinary innovation and product development.
- Work with cutting‑edge appliances and influence real consumer experiences.
- Collaborate with a passionate, multidisciplinary team.
- Opportunity to shape products from concept to launch.
Ready to turn your culinary expertise into product innovation? Apply today for this exciting Product Development Home Economist opportunity.
Product Development - Home Economist employer: Ashby Finance
Join a dynamic team in Leamington Spa where your passion for food and innovation will thrive. As a Product Development Home Economist, you'll enjoy a collaborative work culture that values creativity and culinary expertise, alongside opportunities for professional growth and development. With access to cutting-edge appliances and the chance to influence consumer experiences, this role offers a unique blend of hands-on testing and product innovation in a supportive environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Development - Home Economist
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend food and product development events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your culinary skills! If you get the chance, bring samples of your cooking or even conduct a mini cooking demo during interviews. This hands-on approach can really set you apart and showcase your passion for food and product innovation.
✨Tip Number 3
Stay updated on consumer trends! Research the latest in cooking behaviours and appliance innovations. Being knowledgeable about what’s hot in the market will help you impress potential employers and show that you’re genuinely interested in the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and take the initiative to connect with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Product Development - Home Economist
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Culinary Passion:Make sure to highlight your love for food and cooking in your application. We want to see how your culinary expertise can influence product innovation, so share any relevant experiences that showcase your skills!
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate well-structured documents that clearly outline your qualifications and experiences, especially those related to cooking trials and product testing.
Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic application! Tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific requirements of the Product Development Home Economist role. Show us how your background aligns with our needs and the exciting work we do.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ashby Finance
✨Know Your Culinary Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your cooking skills and food science knowledge. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with cooking trials and how you've used that to influence product decisions in the past.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to talk about how you've interpreted data from cooking tests and turned insights into actionable recommendations. Think of specific examples where your analysis led to tangible improvements in a product.
✨Demonstrate Your Organisational Skills
Since you'll be managing multiple priorities, come prepared with examples of how you've successfully organised and executed structured test plans or protocols in previous roles. Highlight your ability to keep things running smoothly in a fast-paced environment.
✨Be Consumer-Focused
Research current consumer trends and cooking behaviours relevant to the role. Be ready to discuss how you can incorporate these insights into product innovation and enhance user experience, showing that you understand what consumers really want.