Food Technologist - Produce in Sittingbourne

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a Food Technologist – Produce to join our Technical Team at IPL as part of the retail technical function. If you are passionate and eager to contribute to driving produce quality standards for our customers, we would love to hear from you.

Position Details

• Schedule: Monday – Friday 08:30am – 5:00pm
• Location: Flexible to 3 options as your base – IPL, Normanton, Asda House, Sittingbourne Kent
• Contract type: Permanent
• Travel: applicants must hold a full driving licence, passport, and have access to their own vehicle due to regular travel across the supply base and stores.

Key Responsibilities

• Risk assess, maintain and implement a UK residue testing schedule.
• Regularly review label confirmations, ensuring all Retail requirements are met.
• Ensure all company due diligence requirements are in place.
• Maintain supplier approvals and implement regular due diligence for suppliers, sites and specifications using internal and external platforms.
• Act as the category technical representative for site audits and support any traceability challenges, ensuring full closure of non‑conformities and corrective actions.
• Manage specification amendments, publishing to all stakeholders and compiling required data reports.
• Manage benchmarking sessions including competitor shopping, report results back to key stakeholders.
• Provide a weekly CPMU business update.
• Give feedback to suppliers on technical/quality performance.
• Compile weekly crop reports and data, publish to key stakeholders.
• Monitor and record supplier responses to inbound reds, ensuring all rejections are recorded in line with company policies.
• Provide updated category information for supplier reviews.
• Maintain strong working relationships with internal colleagues, Asda and third‑party suppliers.
• Raise purchase orders and receive invoices as required.
• Manage and communicate government (HSE, APHA etc.) correspondence to key stakeholders.

Qualifications & Skills

• Relevant qualifications in agriculture, food science or related fields.
• Experience in fresh produce, preferably in retail technical roles.
• Experience or qualifications in sensory evaluation.
• Logical, evidence‑led thinking and data analysis ability.
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office – Excel, PowerPoint & Word.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and confidence in decision making.
• Effective analysis, judgement and concise report‑writing skills.
• Spanish language proficiency is an advantage.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• 15% Asda in‑store discount.
• Paid annual leave allowance varying by shift pattern.
• Enhanced pension scheme.
• Life assurance equal to 4× annual base salary.
• Help@hand health and wellbeing service, including video consultations, physiotherapy and mental health support.
• Access to Grocery Aid support services.
• Electric Vehicle scheme.
• 30% discount on Asda Mobile bundles for one family member.
• Discounts on health assessments and pet insurance.
• Mortgage advice bureau service.
• Exchange rates via Asda Money.
• Ride‑to‑work scheme with Evans.
• Care Concierge care support.
• Potential private healthcare, car allowances and long‑term incentive schemes based on band.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We recognise the value in diversity and welcome applications from all candidates regardless of sex, age, race, religion, gender or sexual identity and socio‑economic background.