R&D Senior Scientist in Ossett

We are looking for an R&D Senior Scientist to join our team. Reporting to the R&D Lead, you will play a key role in developing innovative pipelines both for branded and private label products across our dairy and plant-based portfolio. This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to build their career within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment, gaining exposure to development activity across the BSM category, technical ownership of the pipeline, customer briefs, and category priorities. This is a site-based role at our manufacturing facility in Ossett, West Yorkshire, with occasional travel required. A full UK driving license is essential.

What will I be doing?

• Develop dairy and plant-based recipes that meet customer, consumer and commercial requirements.
• Translate customer and business briefs into innovative, technically robust product solutions.
• Lead product development activities from concept through to upscale readiness, working closely with Commercial, Marketing, NPI and Operations teams.
• Manage development projects and support cross-functional teams to ensure delivery against critical path timelines.
• Collaborate with ingredient suppliers to identify new technologies, ingredients and market opportunities.
• Ensure new products, raw materials and processing requirements are aligned early in the development process to support efficient project execution.
• Maintain awareness of market trends, consumer insights and competitor activity to identify opportunities for innovation and renovation.
• Build strong relationships across internal functions and external partners while demonstrating Kinisla's values and customer-first mindset.

What do I need to be successful?

• Degree in Food Science, Food Technology or a related discipline.
• Previous experience in product development within the food industry.
• Strong project management and organisational skills.
• Ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams and deliver against challenging timelines.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of food manufacturing environments.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Passion for food, innovation and continuous improvement.
• A proactive, resilient and results-oriented approach.

What will I get in return?

• 25 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays).
• Matched pension scheme.
• Benefits platform offering discounts and cashback on major retailers.

Kinisla is a vertically integrated farm-to-fork business with a very substantial consumer foods presence and a leading nutritional and dairy ingredients division, delivering high-quality dairy solutions with a focus on sustainability and innovation. From partnering with local family farms to producing world-class dairy products, we ensure every step of our value chain reflects our commitment to excellence.

With over 50 years’ experience in milk processing, dairy and nutritional technology advancement, and product innovation, we are a key stakeholder in the global food industry and creators of a strong portfolio of market leading dairy brands including Cheestrings, Charleville and Coleraine Cheese, Dairygold, Golden Cow and our new SMUG range. Our dairy comes from some of the world’s richest grazing land and is produced by a network of Irish family farms that have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world. Through a combination of expertise, innovation, and sustainability, Kinisla is proud to shape the future of dairy while meeting the diverse needs of our farmers, customers, and communities.

Globally, Kinisla employs over 1,700 dedicated professionals across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and China. In 2024, we achieved a turnover of approximately €1.3 billion, reflecting our commitment to excellence and growth.

At Kinisla, we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires and leads the evolution of dairy, food and nutrition. We are committed to nurturing an environment of positivity and inclusiveness, where everyone can be at their best, both personally and professionally.

Our recruitment, selection and assessment process are based on the skills and competencies of the specific roles and based entirely on merit. We are committed to and value Diversity and Inclusion in all recruitment processes within Kinisla and do not discriminate based on gender, race, class, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, political beliefs, veteran status, marital status or any other protected characteristic.