At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead product development from concept to market, ensuring quality and compliance.
- Company: Dynamic company in Kent focused on innovation and sustainability.
- Benefits: Hybrid work model, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of product innovation and make a real impact in the food industry.
- Qualifications: Degree in Food Science or related field; experience in product development preferred.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on continuous improvement and training.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 Β£ per year.
This position plays a central role in delivering new products and innovation initiatives from early concept through to market readiness. You will translate customer ideas and internal innovation briefs into technically robust, commercially viable, and compliant product solutions, ensuring alignment with agreed quality, cost, sustainability, and regulatory requirements across launch markets.
Working across internal teams and external manufacturing partners, you will manage development risks, support scale-up and implementation, and contribute to improving how products are developed and launched end to end.
Core Responsibilities
- Product Development & Innovation Delivery: You will take ownership of assigned customer-led development projects and internally driven innovation initiatives, ensuring they progress efficiently from concept through to implementation. This includes:
- Designing and developing formulations that meet defined customer briefs and technical requirements.
- Delivering solutions across intermediate premixes, nutritional products (human or pet), and dairy alternative applications.
- Supporting transfer to manufacturing sites, whether internal facilities or external partners.
- Work directly with customers and internal stakeholders to define clear technical and commercial project requirements.
- Ensure feasibility, indicative costs, and approval criteria are agreed at the outset.
- Identify potential technical, regulatory, supply, or operational risks and ensure mitigation plans are in place throughout the project lifecycle.
- Ensure development outputs remain aligned with the parameters agreed during scoping.
- Develop formulations that balance sensory performance, stability, regulatory compliance, shelf life, and cost.
- Conduct or coordinate sensory assessments prior to customer submission where required.
- Apply ingredient and process knowledge to make informed recommendations on shelf life and packaging suitability.
- Advise customers on appropriate approaches for shelf-life validation.
- Provide formulation and nutritional input to internal teams and customers as needed.
- Supporting sales teams and customers through technical training and project preparation.
- Delivering product development training to wider internal teams.
- Working with procurement and quality functions to identify, assess, and approve new raw material suppliers.
- Providing technical input into raw material approvals and supplier onboarding.
- Continuously developing your understanding of functional ingredients, nutrients, and market trends to strengthen innovation capability.
- Contributing ideas to improve development processes, tools, and ways of working.
Experience & Profile
Weβre looking for someone who combines technical capability with a proactive, improvement-focused mindset:
- BSc or MSc in Food Science, a scientific discipline, or equivalent industry experience.
- Background in food, nutrition, or supplement product development.
- Strong understanding of ingredient functionality, including vitamins, minerals, flavours, colours, additives, and sweeteners.
- Experience in developing premixes, nutritional products, or food supplements.
- A strong interest in sustainability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Product Developer in Kent employer: Lime Talent
Contact Detail:
Lime Talent Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice π€«
We think this is how you could land Product Developer in Kent
β¨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
β¨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Prepare a portfolio or case studies that highlight your product development projects. This will give you a chance to demonstrate your technical expertise and innovative mindset during interviews.
β¨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or mentors to refine your responses. Focus on how you can translate customer ideas into viable products, as this is key for the Product Developer role.
β¨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining us. Tailor your application to showcase how your background in food science and innovation aligns with our mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Product Developer in Kent
Some tips for your application π«‘
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Product Developer role. Highlight your relevant experience in food science and product development, and show us how your skills align with our needs.
Showcase Your Technical Expertise: We want to see your knowledge in action! Include specific examples of formulations you've developed or projects you've led that demonstrate your understanding of ingredient functionality and regulatory compliance.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to see your key achievements and skills at a glance.
Apply Through Our Website: Donβt forget to submit your application through our website! Itβs the best way for us to receive your details and ensures youβre considered for the role. We canβt wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Lime Talent
β¨Know Your Products Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the products and innovations relevant to the role. Familiarise yourself with recent trends in food science and nutritional products. This will not only show your passion but also help you discuss how your expertise aligns with their needs.
β¨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect questions that test your understanding of ingredient functionality and formulation development. Brush up on your knowledge of vitamins, minerals, and additives. Be ready to discuss how you would approach specific challenges in product development.
β¨Showcase Your Collaboration Skills
This role involves working with various teams and external partners. Prepare examples of past experiences where you successfully collaborated on projects. Highlight how you managed risks and ensured alignment with project goals, as this will resonate well with their expectations.
β¨Emphasise Continuous Improvement Mindset
Demonstrate your proactive approach to innovation and process improvement. Share ideas or experiences where you contributed to enhancing product development processes. This will show that youβre not just about meeting requirements but also about pushing boundaries.