At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead exciting product launches in a fast-paced food environment.
- Company: Join a passionate team at a leading European food manufacturer.
- Benefits: Competitive salary and the chance to make a real impact.
- Why this job: Combine culinary creativity with technical expertise on innovative products.
- Qualifications: Experience in NPI/NPD and strong project management skills required.
- Other info: Opportunity for direct customer interaction and career growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Contract Type - 6 months, Full-time
Are you a process-driven NPD expert who thrives in fast-paced, retailer-facing environments? Do you enjoy bringing exciting, culinary-led products to life from handover through to launch? We are currently recruiting for a Senior NPI Technologist to join our team on a 6-month fixed-term contract at Bodmin site. This is an exciting opportunity to work on growing, innovative product ranges within our slow cooked and cooked bacon categories — combining culinary creativity with technical excellence.
You will be part of a passionate, driven and supportive team, playing a key role in delivering successful product launches while ensuring operational excellence on site.
The Role
- Take ownership of the process side of NPD projects — ensuring smooth transition from handover through to successful factory launch.
- Lead product launches from handover to full production.
- Ensure factory capability and operational constraints are considered during development.
- Plan, organise and run pre-submission, exploratory and factory trials.
- Manage projects through critical paths to meet retailer and internal deadlines.
- Conduct pre-production runs (Pre-pro's).
- Collect, analyse and interpret trial data to drive informed decision-making.
- Troubleshoot and resolve technical and process challenges.
- Set up and improve systems to support efficient launches.
- Work closely with Production to ensure seamless scale-up and launch execution.
- Maintain direct contact with customers where required.
- Contribute to idea generation and innovation pipelines.
- Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, quality and consistency.
Depending on your experience, there is also scope to take greater ownership of retailer-facing NPD projects, including customer interaction and project management leadership.
About the Categories
You will be working across two exciting product areas: Slow Cooked – a fast-growing, culinary-led category with strong innovation and premium positioning. Cooked Bacon – a specialist, technically demanding category requiring precision, consistency and deep product knowledge. This is a fantastic opportunity to combine food passion with technical expertise.
What We’re Looking For
- Proven experience in NPI/NPD within a food manufacturing environment.
- Strong process knowledge and experience running factory trials.
- Experience managing critical paths and retailer launch timelines.
- Confident analysing data and making evidence-based recommendations.
- Experience working closely with production teams in live factory environments.
- Strong organisational and project management skills.
- Comfortable communicating with internal stakeholders and customers.
- Commercial awareness and understanding of factory capability.
You will be proactive, detail-focused and comfortable taking responsibility for delivering results. You will bring energy, resilience and a practical mindset — someone who sees challenges as opportunities and works collaboratively to find solutions.
Why Join Us?
- Opportunity to work on exciting, high-growth culinary categories.
- Exposure to retailer-facing projects and direct customer interaction.
- Be part of a passionate, innovative and supportive development team.
- Competitive salary.
- Opportunity to make a real impact within a short-term contract.
- Experience working within a leading European food manufacturing business.
- Fast-paced, hands-on environment where your contribution is visible.
Ready to Bring Products to Life?
If you’re an experienced NPI professional who enjoys taking ownership, working collaboratively and delivering successful product launches in a fast-moving food environment, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and join Pilgrim’s Europe to help us turn great ideas into outstanding products.
Senior NPI Technologist - FTC in Bodmin employer: Pilgrim's Europe
Contact Detail:
Pilgrim's Europe Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior NPI Technologist - FTC in Bodmin
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the food manufacturing industry, especially those who might know about NPI roles. A friendly chat can lead to insider info or even a referral that could land you an interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching the company and its products. Familiarise yourself with their slow cooked and cooked bacon categories. Show us that you’re not just another candidate; you’re genuinely excited about what they do!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your STAR technique for answering behavioural questions. We want to hear about specific situations where you’ve led product launches or tackled challenges in NPD. Be ready to share your success stories!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can keep you fresh in their minds and show your enthusiasm for the role. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why you’d be a perfect fit for their team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior NPI Technologist - FTC in Bodmin
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Senior NPI Technologist role. Highlight your process-driven approach and any relevant NPD experience to catch our eye!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're passionate about food innovation and how your background aligns with our needs. Share specific examples of successful product launches you've been part of!
Showcase Your Data Skills: Since we love evidence-based decision-making, don’t forget to mention your experience with data analysis. Give us a glimpse into how you've used data to drive project success in the past.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and get you on board quickly!
How to prepare for a job interview at Pilgrim's Europe
✨Know Your NPD Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of New Product Development (NPD) processes, especially in food manufacturing. Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully led product launches and managed factory trials.
✨Showcase Your Data Skills
Since the role requires analysing trial data, prepare to demonstrate your ability to interpret data and make evidence-based recommendations. Bring examples of how your data analysis has influenced decision-making in past projects.
✨Be Ready for Problem-Solving
Expect questions about troubleshooting and resolving technical challenges. Think of scenarios where you faced obstacles during a project and how you overcame them. This will show your resilience and practical mindset.
✨Communicate with Confidence
As this role involves liaising with internal stakeholders and customers, practice articulating your thoughts clearly. Prepare to discuss how you've effectively communicated in previous roles, especially in fast-paced environments.