At a Glance
- Tasks: Support innovative pet food product development and optimisation from concept to launch.
- Company: Join Tails.com, a pioneering dog food subscription service backed by Purina.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible hours, competitive salary, health insurance, and generous holiday leave.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the pet food industry while working with passionate people.
- Qualifications: Experience in pet food development or nutrition, with a relevant degree preferred.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Changing the world of pet food for good. We're Tails.com, a dog food subscription company with a big difference. We create truly tailored food for each and every dog we serve. We start by asking people a few simple questions about their dog. Then we use that information to create their dog's unique Tails.com recipe – so their dog gets exactly the nutrition they need, in the taste they love, delivered to their door every month.
We've got bold plans. Having created an entirely new category in pet food, we're now scaling fast – backed by Purina, one of the world's largest pet food companies. You'll join a bunch of smart people working towards the same goals.
The role involves supporting food product innovation, renovation, and optimisation across the Tails.com product range. You will work collaboratively across multiple departments and with supplier partners to develop and deliver high-quality, market-appropriate, and fully compliant products. This includes:
- Supporting projects from concept through to launch, ensuring products meet required standards for quality, safety, performance, and regulatory compliance while aligning with business and consumer needs.
- Working closely with Project Managers to deliver food product changes across the range, following the stage gate development process from concept through to launch.
- Partnering with Proposition & Innovation teams to align and deliver new product development objectives, while collaborating with Quality, Supply Chain, and Procurement teams to identify and implement product optimisation opportunities.
- Creating, maintaining, and controlling product, ingredient, and recipe specifications, ensuring accurate documentation, robust version control, supplier compliance, and effective communication of updates to stakeholders.
- Supporting product evaluation and benchmarking activities, including palatability trials, competitor analysis, and digital product catalogue management.
- Collaborating with product/ingredient suppliers to bring our solutions to life, being responsible to hold our suppliers to SLAs on delivering innovation to meet our launch deadlines.
- Maintaining a strong working knowledge of pet food labelling legislation, including FEDIAF guidelines and UK/EU regulations, ensuring all products and associated claims remain fully compliant throughout development and launch.
- Creating and managing Label Information Sheets (LIS) for new products, coordinating cross-functional review and approval processes with Regulatory, Compliance, Nutrition, and other key stakeholders prior to artwork and asset creation.
- Supporting product claims development and substantiation by collaborating with Innovation, Regulatory, and Nutrition teams.
- Ensuring that the Tails.com Food Philosophy is maintained, along with nutritional, design guidelines, and other key resources for the Innovation team.
- Supporting the resolution of incidents & shortages, making clear recommendations on food risk & proposed next steps.
The Skills You'll Bring:
- Previous experience in pet food related product development, food technical, nutritionist role, or similar.
- Food Science or Animal Nutrition degree is desirable.
- Experience in working with & developing products in partnership with suppliers & co-manufacturers.
- A commercial mindset, able to input on business cases to aid sizing of innovation projects.
- Experience with specification management software.
- Theoretical nutrition modelling experience.
What's in it for you?
- Competitive salary, reviewed annually.
- Flexible core hours, giving you true work-life balance.
- Hybrid role to ensure this role works for you.
- 25 days of holiday (excluding bank holidays) which increases over time to a max of 27 days.
- 9/10 day working week to enhance your wellbeing without a reduction in pay and leave allowance.
- Optional 5 days unpaid leave and 1 paid volunteer day each year.
- Health insurance for you, paid by Tails.com.
- Extended maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay.
- In-house L&D team, with access to year-round courses to help drive your development.
- 50% discount on all Tails.com products.
- Discounted gym membership.
We're proud to be an active equal opportunity employer. We want to give everyone a fair chance to join us in changing the world of pet food for good.
Senior Food Technologist - 12 Month FTC in London employer: Nestlé
At Tails.com, we pride ourselves on being an innovative and supportive employer, dedicated to changing the world of pet food for good. Our collaborative work culture fosters creativity and growth, offering employees flexible working arrangements, competitive salaries, and a range of benefits including generous holiday allowances and professional development opportunities. Join us in our mission to create tailored nutrition for dogs while enjoying a fulfilling career in a dynamic and rapidly growing environment backed by Purina.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Food Technologist - 12 Month FTC in London
✨Get Involved in Local Events
Check out food technology fairs and local agricultural shows. These gatherings are goldmines for meeting employers like Nestlé face-to-face. Bring your enthusiasm, and don’t be shy to ask questions about their work!
✨Join Industry-Specific Groups
Dive into social media groups and forums focused on food science and technology. Networking with professionals already in the game can help us get the inside scoop on temporary roles, including those at Nestlé.
✨Consider Seasonal Opportunities
Since this is a temporary role, keep an eye on seasonal hiring times when food companies ramp up for production cycles. Check out companies like Nestlé during these periods, as they often look for extra support.
✨Got Skills? Show Them Off!
If you’ve got a knack for lab work or product testing, create a mini portfolio of your projects and experiences. It's a great way to stand out when chatting with hiring managers at Nestlé. Plus, it’s perfect for showcasing your practical skills!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Food Technologist - 12 Month FTC in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Technical Know-How:In the food science and technology field, it’s all about the nitty-gritty details. Make sure your CV highlights any relevant coursework, labs, or projects that showcase your technical skills in food processing, safety, or product development. Don't forget to mention any specific techniques or technologies you're comfortable with – they can really set you apart!
Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Project:Since this is a temporary role, make your cover letter shine by focusing on your motivation and how you can contribute to Nestlé immediately. Highlight your adaptability and any relevant experiences that make you a perfect fit for this specific project – employers love to see that enthusiasm and readiness to dive straight in!
Include Relevant Certifications:If you've got any food safety or quality control certifications, make sure they’re front and centre in your application. These badges of honour can give us – and Nestlé – confidence in your skills and commitment to maintaining high standards in the lab or in production.
Emphasise Teamwork and Communication Skills:Food science is often a team sport, so weave in examples of how you've effectively collaborated with others during your studies or previous jobs. Whether it was group projects or internships, showcasing your ability to work well with others and communicate effectively can really strengthen your application.
How to prepare for a job interview at Nestlé
✨Brush Up on Food Safety Standards
In the food science and technology field, it's crucial to understand food safety regulations and standards, such as HACCP. Make sure you're ready to discuss how you've implemented these in previous projects, even if they were part of your studies. They might ask you specific questions about handling food safely, so don’t skip this prep!
✨Prepare for Practical Scenarios
Expect some hands-on assessments or scenario-based questions during your interview with Nestlé. They might put you in a situation where you have to propose a food product or troubleshoot a food safety issue on the spot, so practice thinking on your feet and explaining your process clearly.
✨Showcase Your Knowledge of Current Trends
Temporary roles often require you to be up-to-date with the latest trends in food technology, like sustainability or novel processing methods. Be ready to share insights on how you can contribute to Nestlé's projects or products based on your knowledge of emerging trends in the sector.
✨Highlight the Learning Experience
Since this is a temporary position, emphasise your eagerness to learn and adapt quickly. Share examples of how you've swiftly picked up new skills or technologies in past experiences, whether in your studies or internships. Companies want to see that you can hit the ground running and make an impact, even in a short time!
