NPD Research Scientist 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.

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 at our EUR sites (including co-packers).
• Working with Research Scientist 2 and Senior Scientist, support trial planning by completing and circulating trial request forms, book time in manufacturing and order trial materials to arrive on site for site quality and operational review.
• Attend and run industrial scale-up trials across sites in Europe (including co-packers) and take measurements during the trial, co-ordinate inputs from other functions and produce a final trial report for circulation to key stakeholders.
• Determine the 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 – qual and quant.
• Perform analytical testing to support project work and factory technical support projects.
• Produce reports that detail methodology and conclusions/recommendations (includes sensory testing, shelf life testing and simple laboratory analysis eg moisture, pH, BRIX).
• Support Sales and Marketing by producing and sending customer samples on time.
• Play a key role in maintaining the laboratory and storerooms to the appropriate hygiene and housekeeping standards.
• Maintain the service/calibration records of all lab equipment, to include training and repairs.
• Maintain stocks and inventory of critical raw materials and samples including sample packaging thereof.
• Create and maintain Lab SOPs and ensure documentation alignment with the global NPD teams & R&T.
• Applies logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems and proactively address issues.
• Keeps manager and wider groups informed both verbally and in writing of issues within assigned area of responsibility; escalates issues beyond scope of authority as needed.
• Analyzes problems, designs experiments; collects samples and prepares products for testing and trial runs.
• Design and execute basic experiments to test a hypothesis.
• Collects samples and prepares products for testing and trial runs.
• Develops and implements 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. (Focus on sugar or beverage-based development desired).
• 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.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

• None, with ad hoc technical training (lab demonstration) and NPD tour guidance for up to 2 work experience students in a year.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Less than 5% of travel for business meetings; travel frequency will be minimal and will be based on business needs.

LOCATION OF ROLE

• Thames Refinery, UK

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

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